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TEHHIFIC TAILES. 
 
TERRIFIC TALES, 
 
 BY 
 
 ISABELLA LEWJES* 
 
 ** Black Spirits and White, 
 '* Red Spirits and Grey, 
 ** Mingle, Mingle, ^linglcy 
 *' You that rhinglc may/' 
 
 k 
 
 
 \ — 
 
 ■ 
 
 Scale of Dragon, 
 
 tooth of Wolf, 
 
 Witches miiJiimy 
 
 , maw and gulf. 
 
 
 Macbeth 
 
 <■ 
 
 LON'DOX : 
 
 Printed by R. Cantwell, 33, Bc'.l-Yard, Temple-Bar, 
 
 fOR J,}\ HUGHES, NO. i5, W IG MORL-iiTIlEET, 
 
 C A V L N D 1 S H - S Q I' A R E . 
 
 1804. 
 

 s\ 
 
TERRIFIC TALES. 
 
 The Count of Macon, in the midst of life and 
 health, transported into the air by a 
 spectre in the shape of a horse* 
 
 The Count of Macon, a gentleman of 
 very inordinate passions, exercised a 
 species of tyranny against the eccle- 
 siastics and their adherents without 
 giving himself the least concern either 
 to conceal or give colour to his ex- 
 cesses. He even made a boast of 
 tliem, and practised them openly. 
 One day being seated in his palace, 
 accompanied by a numerous train of 
 nobihty and others, a stranger on 
 B horseback 
 
(2 ) 
 
 horseback was seen to enter, who ad- 
 vanced towards him, and said, " that 
 havinj? something of importance to 
 communicate, he desired that he 
 Avould follow him. " The Count arose, 
 and having arrived at the^door, foif^d 
 a horse waiting for him; he mounM 
 and was immediately conveyed into 
 the air, exclaiming with an awful 
 voice to those who were present, " as- 
 sistance, for heaven s sake assistance.'' 
 The whole town were alarmed and ran 
 to his exclamations; however, they 
 very soon lost sight of him, and had 
 no doubt but the demon had carried 
 him off with him to be a companion 
 of his torments, as a punishment for 
 his excessive passions. 
 
 Pierre, the venerable abbot of 
 Cluni, relates this extraordinary fact 
 
 happened 
 
( 3) 
 
 liappened in his days, and seen by tlie 
 Avhole city of Macon, in his work 
 intituled : Petrus venerab. lib, 2, de 
 miracuiiSj Chap. \st. page 1299- 
 
 B 2 Captain 
 
(4 ) 
 
 Captain Dc^pilliers and one of his soldiers 
 nearly smothered between the bed and 
 mattniss hij an invisible hand. 
 
 Count Despilliers the elder, 
 when young, and captain of the cui- 
 rassiers, took up his winter quarters 
 in Flanders. One of his cavaliers 
 came one day to beg of him to 
 change his host, saying, ^' that every 
 night a spectre haunted him in his 
 room and prevented him sleeping/' 
 The Count dismissed his cavalier, 
 and laughed at his simplicity. A few 
 days after this, the same cavalier went 
 to make him the same entreaty; Avhen 
 the captain irritated, would have dis- 
 charged a volley of coups de baton at 
 him, had he not with great agility left 
 the room. At length he returned a 
 third time to the charge, and protested 
 
 to 
 
(5 ) 
 
 to his captain that he could put up 
 with it no longer, and should be 
 obliged to desert, provided his quar- 
 ters were not changed. Despilliers, 
 who knew the cavalier to be a brave 
 soldier and extremely sensible, said 
 to him with an oath; " I will go and 
 sleep in the same room with you to 
 nighty and see what it is." 
 
 About ten o'clock in the evening 
 the captain went to the cavalier's 
 lodging; and having put his pistols 
 upon the table, laid down in his 
 cloaths, in a bed without curtains, 
 with his sword beside him. About 
 twelve o'clock he heard something 
 come into the room, turned the bed 
 topsy-turvy, and enclosed the soldier 
 and his captain under the mattrass 
 and paillasse. Despilliers had the 
 
 greatest 
 
( e) 
 
 greatest trouble in tlie world to dis- 
 en<rau:e liimselfto find his sword and 
 pistols again, M'hen lie returned home 
 Avith them agitated and confused. 
 The Cavalier's quarters were changed 
 the next day, where he slept tranquilly 
 at the house of his new host. 
 
 Mr. Despilliers related this adven- 
 ture to every body that wished to 
 liear him ; he was a man of undaunted 
 courage, and had never known Avhat 
 it was to retreat. When he died he 
 was field marshal to the armies of the 
 Emperor Charles VI. and governor 
 of the fortress of Segedin. 
 
 The 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 The body of a woman that had been hanged 
 invested by the devil. 
 
 It happened at Paris, on the 1st 
 of January 1613, during those heavy 
 falls of rain which at that period in- 
 undated tlie country, that a young 
 gentleman of that city^ who was re- 
 turning home about four o'clock in 
 the afternoon from the house of one 
 of his friends with whom he had 
 passed the major part of the day, he 
 met in a little alley, a young lady 
 very handsomely dressed (apparently 
 some courtezan) in a robe of pinked 
 taffety adorned m ith a pearl necklace, 
 and several other brilliant and appa- 
 rently rich jewels, who as if astonish- 
 ed, and yet with a smile upon her 
 countenance addressed the gentlemar>, 
 
 and 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 and said, *' Although, Sir, this tem- 
 pestuous weather does not suffer me 
 to commit myself to its mercy, I 
 would at all times rather he exposed 
 to it, than for it to he said, that I am 
 the least inconvenience in the world 
 to any one; occupying here without 
 any permission, the entrance to your 
 lodging; hut should it he a thing 
 that I can do without incurring your 
 displeasure, I shall he as much ohliged 
 to you for it as any one of those who 
 have ever had the honor of being 
 your most affectionate servants." The 
 gentleman looking at her attentively, 
 jiRlging by the exterior, and obser- 
 ving the politeness with which she 
 accosted him, thought it his duty to 
 return it, as well by words as actions, 
 consequently replied : '' I am exceed- 
 ingly sorry, Miss, that my arrival has 
 
 been 
 
(9) 
 
 been too tardy for you to be enabled 
 to witness the service that I have at 
 all times devoted to the ladies, and 
 principally to those of your quality; 
 in order to verify my assertion I not 
 only make you the offer of my lodg- 
 ing, but of every thing that you 
 think me empowered to bestow 
 wherein I can render my most hum- 
 ble services, and in the mean time 
 I beg you would take the trouble to 
 walk in, until the rain is over." The 
 young lady said to him: ''I have 
 never. Sir, merited the offer you 
 n^ake me, but I will endeavour to re- 
 turn it in some instance or othS* 
 A\ hen an opportunity shall present it- 
 self: however, I shall beg of you only 
 to permit me to Avait here the arrival 
 of my carriage, for which I have just 
 now sent my servant/' '^ No/' said 
 
 the 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 the 2^entlcmaii, ^^ you m ill oblige me 
 imicli to walk in aiul take part of a 
 cold collation, till your carriage 
 conies; and although you may not be 
 receiv^ed according to your quality 
 and merit, I will endeavour to render 
 you every accomodation in my 
 power/' 
 
 At length, after much altercation 
 on both sides, the young lady con* 
 sented, and appeared exceedingly vex- 
 ed at her servants' not coming. The 
 day passed over without the lackey's 
 havinsr legs, or the carriaw wheels, 
 1?b arrive. Supper time being come, 
 the gentleman endeavoured to treat 
 her in the handsomest manner he was 
 able. When it dreu^ near the hour for 
 repose, the young lady intreated him, 
 tliat since he had done her so much 
 
 honor 
 
( n ) 
 
 honor as to aftbrd her an asylum, that 
 he would in addition to Ids favours 
 accommodate her witli a single bed, 
 hinting that it would not be becom- 
 ing of a young lady to admit any one 
 to partake of it; which he readily 
 o-ranted. ^Vhile she was making pre- 
 parations to pass the night alone, the 
 o;entleman presumed to display his 
 o-allantrv in conversation, to which 
 she replied in such bewitching Ian- 
 oHiage, that after a tedious parley be- 
 tween love and honour, the young- 
 hero was sechiced. During the night . 
 he had a dream which tormented him 
 exceedingly, respecting her who was 
 sleeping by his side. The morning 
 being come, he arose, and fearing lest 
 any one should come and see him, and 
 that finding the young lady, they 
 might suppose something, he sent his 
 
 servant 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 servant to \vakc lier; to whom she re- 
 plied, '' tliat she had had but very Ht- 
 tle sleep ill the night, consequently 
 begged that she might not be disturb- 
 ed:'' to M'hicli the servant made no 
 reply, related that to his master, who 
 after havin^j made a few turns in the 
 city, returned with some of his friends, 
 but M'ould not suffer them to go into 
 his chamber until he had first sent his 
 man to beg of the young lady to get 
 up. After all he resolved to go him- 
 self, in order to excuse himself to her 
 for his inattentions : when on enterins: 
 the room, he drew the curtains, and 
 having called her by several endearing 
 names, he Mcnt to take her by the 
 arm, but he felt her as cold as marble, 
 and w ithout any pulse or breath what- 
 ever; on wliich account being terrifi- 
 ed, he called his host, but in vain; for 
 
 he 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 he being arrived accompanied by se- 
 veral others, they found her a hfeless 
 corse. The justice and physicians were 
 sent for, wlio with one accord said 
 that it was the body of a woman who 
 some tune past had been hanged, and 
 that it was a devil who had invested 
 himself with her body in order to de- 
 ceive that unfortunate gentleman. 
 
 They liad scarcely uttered these 
 M ords, l)ut in the sight of all, a thick 
 and olxscure smoke arose in the bed, 
 ^vhich lasted for a few moments, and 
 v.lth the most unpleasant odour; it 
 clouded their senses in such a manner, 
 that they lost sight, without knowing 
 hoM' she had escaped that was in bed; 
 in fine, the vapour diminishing, by 
 degrees totally disappeared ; they only 
 found the place where the carcase laid. 
 C E^'cry 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 Every one generally deplored the ac- 
 cicknt that had befallen the young 
 gentleman, m honi I leave you to sup- 
 pose w hether he was astonished in hav- 
 ing reposed the whole night with a 
 demon, and that the effect of a thing 
 so miraculous and difficult to believe, 
 should have happened in his apart- 
 ment. Were it only through the tes- 
 timony of those who have heard of it, 
 and the evidence of those who were 
 present, it would be sufficient to con* 
 firm it. 
 
 The 
 
( 1^ ) 
 
 The Ghost of Sancho three months after his 
 death appearing to Pierre d'Englehert in 
 Spain, at his bed-side by moon-light. 
 
 Pierre dTxglebert being one 
 night in his bed Vide awake, saw in 
 liis chamber, by the hght of the 
 moon, the spirit of a man named 
 Sancho, whom he had several years 
 before sent at his expence to the as- 
 sistance of Alphonzo, King of Arra- 
 gon, who was carr}nng on the war in 
 Castile. Sancho returned from that 
 expedition safe and sound. Some 
 time after, he fell sick and died at his 
 own house. 
 
 Four months after his decease San- 
 cho presented liin^sclf to Pierre d'En- 
 glebcrt completely naked. lie set 
 about uncoveriuii: the Avood ashes 
 
 which 
 
( 16) 
 
 ^vhicll were still alig-ht in the fire-place, 
 as if to w arm Iiimself, or in order to 
 shew- himself more distinctly. Pierre 
 asked him wlio he was. " I am," re- 
 plied he, with a hroken and hollow 
 voice, " Sancho your servant." — f 
 " And what are you come to do 
 here?"— '•! am going," said he, '' in- 
 to Castile with several others, in or- 
 der to expiate the ill that we did dur- 
 ing the last war, at the same spot 
 where it wus committed. As to what 
 more particularly relates to me, I pil- 
 laged the ornaments of a Church, and 
 I am condemned on that account to 
 undertake this journey. You can 
 much assist me by your good works; 
 and my lady your wife who is still 
 indebted to me eight sous, being the 
 residue of my salary, will oblige me 
 
 infinitely 
 
C 17) 
 
 infinitely to give tliem to the poor in 
 my name. 
 
 Pierre asked Iiim eoncerning a 
 tViend of his, one Pierre de Pais, who 
 ^^'as but recently dead. Sancho told 
 him that he was saved. ** And Ber- 
 nier our fellow-citizen, what has be- 
 come of him ?'' — •'" He is damned," 
 said he, " for having badly acquitted 
 himself in his othce as judge, and 
 also for having harassed and pillaged 
 tlie widow and the innocent.'' — Pierre 
 added: — " Can you give me any in- 
 telligence of Alphonzo, King of Ar- 
 ragon, who died some few years 
 since?" — At tliat moment another 
 spectre that Pierre had never seen be- 
 fore, and which he remarked distinct- 
 ly by the light of the moon seated by 
 tlie window, said : — " Do not ask 
 
 him 
 
(18) 
 
 liim about tlic King Alphonzo, he 
 cannot tell you; he has not been long 
 enough witli us to know any thing of 
 liini. As for me I have been dead 
 these five years, I can inform you. 
 Alphonzo has been with us some time; 
 but the monks of Cluni, have taken 
 him from us: I do not know where 
 he is now." — At the same time ad- 
 dressing himself to his companion 
 Sancho: — ^' Come/' said he, " let us 
 follow our associates, it is time to de- 
 part." — Sancho reiterated his impor- 
 tunities to Pierre his lord, and left 
 the house. 
 
 Pierre awoke his wife, who Avas 
 sleeping by his side, and who had nei- 
 ther seen any thing ,nor heard any 
 thing of this dialogue, aad asked her : 
 ^^ Do not you owe any thing to San- 
 cho 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 cho our servant ^v\\o died late- 
 ly?'' '' Yes, I owe him eight sous/^ 
 
 replied she. At these Avords Pierre no 
 lono'er doubted of the truth of what 
 Sancho liad told him ; gave the eight 
 sous to the poor, added to them many 
 of his own, and ordered mass and nu- 
 merous prayers to be put up for the 
 soul of the deceased. 
 
 Pierre d'Engelbert, who after hav- 
 ing lived a long time in that age, 
 wherein he was reputed for valour 
 and honor, retired after the death of 
 his wife, in the order of Cluni, related 
 tliis discourse in presence of the bi- 
 shops of Oleron and Orman, in Spain, 
 and several ecclesiastics, to Pierre, 
 the venerable abbot of Cluni, who 
 speaks of it in his work intituled, Pc- 
 irus xcnerab. abb. CI unlet: dc viiraciil. 
 
 lib. 1; chap. £8; /;. 12<}J. 
 
 The 
 
f 20 ) 
 
 The apparition of the Duke of Milan's bro- 
 ther to two nierehants. 
 
 About the beginning of the l6th 
 century as two Merchants of Milan 
 were <>-oing to the fair of Lyons in 
 France, they met upon mount Cenis, 
 near a place vulgarly called the devil's 
 bridge, on account of a continual 
 wind which blows there, a man un- 
 commonly tall who presented to them 
 a letter, commanded them to re- 
 turn and commit that letter to his 
 brotlicr Lewis. Astonished at that 
 commission, they asked him who he 
 was. The spirit replied, '^ I am Ga- 
 leas Sfortta," — and disappeared. 
 
 The Merchants returned to Milan, 
 and from thence to Vigevans, where 
 tlie duke of Milan was at that time, 
 
 and 
 
( ^1 ) 
 
 and committed to him the letter; 
 liowever, they Mere arrested, throMii 
 in prison, and interrogated as to tlie 
 fact. After ha\'ini>' lain some time 
 and ahvays persisting in their inno- 
 cence, and by whom they were or- 
 dered, they were set at Hberty. A 
 counsellor belonging to the Duke, 
 named Vincent Galeas, took the let- 
 ter which was written upon paper 
 and folded as they usually fold letters 
 in Italy, sealed with a very fine brass 
 wire; its contents were as follows: 
 
 Lewis, Lewis, take care 
 of yourself, the French and Venetians 
 are forming an alliance against you, 
 in order to ruin you; but if you Mill 
 furnish me with three thousand pis- 
 toles, I will endeavour to reconcile the 
 spirits. '^— Adieu. 
 
 The 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 The superscription or signature was, 
 '' The spirit of thy brother Galeas.'' 
 
 Every one Avas surprized at this ad- 
 venture. Some looked upon it as a 
 jest, while others conceived it more ad- 
 visable to make a deposit of the three 
 thousand pistoles, in order to comply 
 in some measure with the desire of 
 Galeas; but the Duke refused listen- 
 ing to it, and thought that he should 
 be laughed at if he consented. 
 
 The circumstance, however, proved 
 true; for before the expiration of the 
 year, duke Lewis was taken by the 
 French and Venetians, who being 
 leagued against him, made war and 
 conducted him to France, where he 
 died in prison. 
 
 Ilobgoblms 
 
(23) 
 
 IIobgoI)li?is that appeared near the cattle of 
 Lnsiiinan in l620. 
 
 Ox Wednesday evening 22d of 
 July 16^0, there appeared between 
 the castle of Lusignan and the park, 
 seemingly upon the river, two men 
 composed of fire extremely powerful 
 in complete armor, Mith a flaming 
 sword in one hand, and a burning 
 lance in the other, who were attack- 
 ing each other in the most vigorous 
 combat; and being both armed with 
 similar weapons, the contest lasted a 
 considerable time; so that in the end 
 one of the two who was wounded and 
 falling gave such a horrible shriek 
 that awoke several of the inhabitants 
 of thehi<^h and low town. Soon after 
 this battery was fuiished; a long train 
 
 of 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 of lire sccnicd to pass along the riv^er 
 aiul ])enctratc into the park, followed 
 by several liery monsters similar to 
 monkies. Several poor people Avho 
 were in the forest pi eking np sticks 
 met this prodigy, which nearly frigh- 
 tened them to death, and amongst 
 others a poor labourer was so terrified, 
 that it threw liim into a dano-erous 
 fever which never left him. This was 
 not all, for so m ere the soldiers alarm- 
 ed M'ith the shriek that they had 
 heard, that they mounted upon the 
 walls to see from whence the voice 
 proceeded. There passed over their 
 heads an amazing Hock of birds, some 
 black, others \vhite, screaming with 
 a hideous and uncommon noise, pre- 
 ceded by two flambeaux, and a figure 
 resembling the complete form of a 
 man followed them hooting like an 
 
 owl. 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 owl. The people were so alarmed at 
 thi3 vision that they longed for the 
 approach of day to relate their terrors. 
 
 D Spectres 
 
( 26) 
 
 Spectres that haunted the home of a Gentle^ 
 man in Silesia through his rash wishes. 
 
 In" 1609 a gentleman residing in Si- 
 lesia having invited several of his 
 • friends to dine Avith him, the hour of 
 the sumptuous entertainment arrived. 
 Seeing himself frustrated by the e:^- 
 cuses of his guests, he entered his 
 apartment in the greatest rage, and be- 
 gan exclaiming — ^^ Since nobody will 
 deign to visit me, may the devils par- 
 ticipate my fete/'^ — Saying Avhich, he 
 left his house, and Mcnt to church, 
 Avhere the curate was prcacliing. He 
 listened a long time with the greatest 
 attention. Whilst he Mas there, several 
 men on horseback, exceeding tall, and 
 quite black, went into the gentleman's 
 court-yard, met one of the servants, 
 
 and 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 nd commanded liim to go and tell liis 
 master that his guests were come. The 
 valet, greatly terrified, ran to the 
 cliurch to inform his master, who very 
 much astonished, related it to the cu- 
 rate. 
 
 The latter finishing his sermon, ad- 
 vised him to order all his family out 
 of the house. This was no sooner said 
 than executed; but in consequence of 
 the haste that they made in escaping 
 from that awful abode, they left in 
 one of the rooms a little child sleeping 
 in a cradle. The guests, or to speak 
 more properly the devils, began to 
 overturn the tables, to howl, to look 
 out of the windows in the shape of 
 bears, wolves, cats, and hobgoblins, 
 holding in their hands glasses of wine, 
 t!>l). and boiled and roasted joints of 
 U 2 meat. 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 meat. As the neighbours, the gentle- 
 man, the curate, and others, were con- 
 temphitiiig the like spectacle with hor- 
 ror, the poor father began to exclaim, 
 "Alas! where is my poor infant?" 
 The last word was scarcely from his 
 lips, when one of the black guests 
 brought the child in his arms to the 
 windows, and shewed him to all those 
 who were in the street. The gentler 
 man, quite distracted, addressed hini- 
 self to his trusrty servant — ^* My 
 friend, what shall I do?"— ^^ Sir,'" re- 
 l^lied the young man trembling, " I 
 will recommend my life to* God, and 
 then in his name I will enter the house, 
 and in consideration of his favor and 
 assistance, I will bring you away the. 
 child." '' Well," said the master, 
 ^' God accompany, assist, and fortify 
 you." The servant having received 
 
 the 
 
( '29 ) 
 
 the benediction of his masteiv the cu- 
 rate, and otiier gentleman who were 
 present, went home, and approacliing 
 the room wliere tlie dark guests were 
 sitting, he prostrated himself upon, 
 and recommended himself to, the Al- 
 mighty; then opened the door, and 
 beheld the spectres in a horrible form, 
 some seated, others standing, others 
 crawling upon the floor. They all of 
 rhem darted towards him, and ex- 
 claimed together in a hollow voice — 
 '' Wliat brings you here?" — The ser- 
 vant trembling with fear, at the same 
 time emboldened by his trust m the 
 Omnipotent, addressed himself to the 
 mischievous one mIio was holding the 
 infant, and said, 'MIere ! deliver me 
 that child." '' I will not,'' replied the 
 spectre, '^ it is mine; go and tell thy 
 master to come for it himself." — The 
 
 servant 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 servant iiisisted, and said — ^^ I am do- 
 ing tlic ollice that God hath com- 
 manded me, and know all that I do 
 conformable to tliat h acceptable to 
 liim. Bein<5 here in virtue of mv of* 
 fice, in the name and assistance of his 
 blessed Son, I snatch from thee and 
 seize this child, which I shall carry to 
 his father/' — Saying this he caught 
 hold of the infant, and clasped it 
 closely in his arms. The black guests 
 replied with the most dismal shrieks in 
 these Avords — ^' Thou wretch, thou 
 profligate, leave the child, or thou 
 shalt perish." — But despising their 
 threats^ precipitated out of the house 
 unhurt, and restored the child into the 
 hands of his father. Some days after 
 this the unwelcome visitors disappear- 
 ed; when the gentleman returned home, 
 and ever after lived as a true chris- 
 tian. 
 
 Spirit 
 
( 31 ; 
 
 Spirit of a Gentleman whieh burst through 
 a casement in his Daughter's bed-chamber , 
 at the hour of his death, invisible to every 
 one except a dog, zcho continued barking 
 (ill it vanished. — Jl fact. 
 
 Ix the year 1663, a private gentle- 
 man, married, rich, and of a good fa- 
 mily, lived in the street des Ecoufles 
 lit Paris. His family consisted of his 
 \ufe, and a son about five years old, 
 ^\]\o was the only one left of six other 
 children that they had had together. 
 The father of this lady was infirm, of 
 an agreeable conversation, and visited 
 them often. A little time before his 
 decase he went to see them, and testi- 
 fied to the lady his daughter that he 
 had just come to bid them adieu before 
 his departure. She embraced him with 
 affection ; and calling her son who was 
 
 playing 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 playing in the garden with some other 
 cliikh'en, she told him to come and 
 salute his grand-papa, and shew him 
 his new cloaths that she had had just 
 made for him. He appeared very much 
 pleased at it, and kissing tenderly his 
 grand-son, said: ^^ My little dear, in 
 a sliort time you shall have a prettier 
 one than this, you shall wear a black 
 one for grand-papa/' — ^' Fie ! fie ! fa- 
 ther," replied the lady; '^ why are you 
 always speaking about that ? Do not 
 think of such gloomy subjects/' — 
 ** Ah ! daughter," replied the old gen- 
 tleman, " I perceive it well, I am 
 drawing near the verge of dissolution ; 
 but God's will be done; I will come 
 and see you once more." — After these 
 words he left the room, and set off the 
 next day for his country-house at 
 Crecy, where his affairs called him. 
 
 Having 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 Having arrived tlicrc, he found liim* 
 self very ill; and as his situation was 
 dang'crous, a particular friend impart- 
 ed tlie news to Ids son-in-law, and re- 
 quested him to come with all possible 
 speed. As soon as the letter was re- 
 ceived, the gentleman sent for two 
 post-horses, and left town immediately 
 wuth his valet; so that they arrived 
 at Crecy about four o'clock in the af- 
 ternoon. Thev found the old gentle- 
 man approaching his last moments^ 
 but still sensible. They seized the op- 
 portunity to make him receive the sa- 
 crament. The patient grew worse; he 
 went hito convulsions, and died about 
 eleven o'clock in the evening of the 
 following dav. The son-in-law under- 
 took the care of inhuming the body, 
 and gave orders for a handsome fu- 
 neral. After that he had some affairs 
 
 of 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 of the succession to regulate, which 
 obhgetl him to defer for some time his 
 return. 
 
 During his absence, his wife Avho 
 was at Paris, and who loved as ten- 
 derly her dear father as she was be- 
 loved, and knew by the letter of ad- 
 vice the danger he was in, was incon- 
 solable, and did nothing but weep: 
 she was left with her son, her femme 
 de chambrCy and two other servants. 
 As she was naturally fearful, she had 
 a little bed made for \\tv femme de 
 chamhre near her's, in order to dispel 
 her glooms, and slept with her be- 
 loved son, whom she could never 
 suffer to be a moment from her. 
 
 '\\\Q. femme de chamhre on lier side, 
 in order to have a second, likewise 
 
 put 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 put upon tlic foot of her bed the dog 
 belonging to the houoe, to w atcli and 
 be her protector. Order was so 
 strictly observed that every one was 
 in bed before ten in the evening. 
 
 It happened that the same day that 
 their dear parent died, our faithful 
 guardians after the greatest agitations, 
 l)egan scarcely to taste the sweets of 
 a tranquil sleep, when about eleven at 
 ni^lit they were awakened suddenly 
 bv a violent noise that was made at 
 one of the windows of tlieir chamber 
 v.iu-h looi^ed into the garden. The 
 casement^^' and tlieir shutters accord- 
 ino- to tlie ancient mode were divided 
 into se\eral paiincls. Althougli the 
 whole had been pei/cctly secured, a 
 top pane and a part of the shutter 
 opened half M'ay wit:.' :.r breaking, in 
 
 a manner 
 
( 36) 
 
 a manner supernatural, and a rustling 
 was heard similar to a person Avith 
 a silk gown; and entering forcibly 
 tlirough the cavity. Judge how a 
 prodigy so surprizing must have alarm- 
 ed the mistress and her fcmme de 
 chambre. Fear rendered them quite 
 motionless, and deprived them of 
 speech. The dog at the first noise that 
 he had heard, precipitated off the bed, 
 and ran barking from one end of the 
 room to the other. He \vas so agitat- 
 ed that he struck his head against the 
 walls and chairs with as little care ss 
 though he had been insensible of the 
 blows. He continued that fatiguing 
 trim till day-light, when being totally 
 exhausted, he fell down with lassitude, 
 couched upon the floor, and fell asleep. 
 Tn the morning the pane and shutter 
 of tlie window were found still open. 
 
 It 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 It was thought that the spirit must 
 have appeared to the dog under a vi- 
 sible form different from anv tliin^: he 
 had ever before seen ; which had been 
 the cause of those unusual agitations; 
 and tliat tliis must have been tlie last 
 visit that the deceased had promised to 
 make his daughter. The next day she 
 actually received a letter from her 
 Imsband, in which he wrote every 
 thing that had passed at Crecy till the 
 time of her father's decease. By this 
 letter it appeared that he died at Crecy 
 the same day and at the same hour as 
 the apparition was heard at Paris. She 
 (udered several masses to be said for 
 the repose of his soul, since which 
 time nothino; has been either seen or 
 heard supernatural in the house. 
 
 This fact is taken from a manuscript 
 of ;Mr. Barry, auditor of accounts. 
 
 E A Spectre 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 A Spatre loaded with Chains appearing to 
 a Young Gentleman, who courageoml^ 
 
 followed it into a Garden, zchere it point-- 
 ed out to him the spot zchere the bones of a 
 
 person in Chains were actually/ discover^ 
 ed. — A FACT, 
 
 About the year 15/0, a young man 
 named Vasques d'Ayola, having gone 
 to Boulogne with two of his compa- 
 nions to study the law, and not hav- 
 ing found a lodging in the city to his 
 wishes, they took an apartment in a 
 spacious and magnificent house, but 
 deserted on account of a spectre which 
 frightened every body that came to 
 reside there. They laughed at this 
 discourse, and took up their abode. 
 
 At the end of the first month 
 
 im- 
 ber 
 
 d'Ayola watching alone in his cham 
 
( 3.9 ) 
 
 her M liilc his companions were sleeping; 
 c|uietly in tlieir beds, lie lieard a noise 
 at a distance similar to chains draij;- 
 <^im>: along tlie ground. It appeared 
 ad\'ancing towards liim up the stairs. 
 )le recommended himself to God, 
 made the sign of the cross, took a 
 5word and buckler, and having a taper 
 in the other hand, he saw the door 
 opened by a horrible spectre, nothing 
 but bones, Ijut loaded w^ith chains. 
 Ayola conjured him and asked him 
 A\ hat he Avanted. The fantom made 
 signs for him to follow him; he ac- 
 cordingly did; but on going down 
 stairs his candle going out, he went 
 hack to light it and followed the 
 spirit, M'hich conducted him along a 
 yard m here there was a well. Ayola 
 was fearful lest he should precipitate 
 him into it, and stopped: the spectre 
 E y made 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 made signs for him to follow him: 
 tliey went into the garden^ when the 
 tantom disappeared. Ayola plucked 
 lip a few handfuls of grass about the 
 spot and returned to relate to his 
 companions wliat had happened to 
 him. In the morning information 
 was given of it to the principal citizens 
 of Boulogne, 
 
 They went to reconnoitre the place 
 and made the most diligent search. 
 The bones of a corse was found there 
 and loaded with chains. Every 
 enquiry was made but they were 
 never able to discover any thing cer* 
 tain as to the fact. Suitable obsequies 
 was made for the deceased^ the remains 
 were interred, and from that time the 
 liouse was no longer haunted. 
 
 •o^ 
 
 This 
 
< 41 ) 
 
 This fact is related by Antoine 
 Formeqiiade, in his work intituled: 
 Les Ficurs ciiriex. 
 
 A iroop 
 
 ij 
 
(42 ) 
 
 jd Iroop of Spirits sce)i zcandcrhig at Nanii 
 iiL ike )niiUlU of the daij. 
 
 So M E years before the death of Pope 
 Leo the ninth, who died in the year 
 1059, an infinite multitude of people 
 cloathcd in wliite were seen passing 
 through tlie city of Narni> and ad- 
 vancing towards the east This troop 
 l^cpt marching from the morning early 
 until three in the afternoon; but to- 
 ^vardsevening they perceptibly declin- 
 ed. At this spectacle the Avhole city 
 mounted the walls, fearing lest they 
 might be a troop of enemies, and 
 saw th-em file off with an extreme 
 surprize. 
 
 A citizen more resolute than the 
 others went out of the city, and 
 liaving remarked in the croM'd a man 
 
 of 
 
( -is ) 
 
 of Ills acquaintance, lie called him hy 
 liis name, and asked him Avhat that 
 jimltitude of travellers meant; he re- 
 plied, — "'We are souls, who not 
 having: ex[)iated all our sins, and not 
 being yet pure enough to enter into 
 the kingdom of heaven, -^ve are going 
 thus into the holy places M'ith a spirit 
 of repentance; Ave are just come from 
 A Isiting the tomb of St. Martin, and 
 are going now to Notre Dame at 
 Parfe." The man wasso terrfied at 
 this vision that he kept his bed 
 for a whole twelvemonth. It was he 
 himself who related the circumstance 
 to Pope Leo the ninth. The whole 
 city of Xarni was ^vitness of this pro- 
 cession, wliich took place in the face 
 of dav. 
 
 The 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 Tiff' Ghost of Brutus appearing to him he 
 fort: his death. 
 
 One night very late, every body 
 sleeping in the camp of Brutus, as he 
 was in his pavilion with very little 
 light, reflecting on something very 
 profoundly within himself, he thonght 
 he heard somebody coming in, and 
 casting his eyes towards the entrance 
 of his pavilion he perceived a mon- 
 strous and hideous figure of a human 
 body emaciated, Avithered, horrible, 
 whicli presented itself to him with- 
 out saying a word. However Brutus^ 
 without being astonished any farther 
 at this vision, asked him with a firm 
 tone of voice, ** whethcF he M^as hu- 
 man or divine, and what brought him 
 there." Tlie fantom replied, — '^ I 
 am thy destroying angel, Brutus^ you 
 
 shall 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 shall sec me again at Philippi." — Bru- 
 tus without any more concern, re- 
 plied coolly,—'' Well, I M'ill meet you 
 there then." — When the fantoni dis- 
 appeared. On the night whicli pre- 
 ceded tlic death of Drutus, a little be- 
 fore he gave battle to Antony and Oc- 
 tavian at Phihppi, where he slew 
 himself with his own bauds the same 
 fantom presented itself to him a se- 
 cond time in the same shape and 
 figure, and then disappeared without 
 utteiinga Mord. 
 
 This fact Is related by Plutarch 
 and Appian in the fourtli book of the 
 Civil Wars, Chapter the last 
 
 A Youns 
 
(4d) 
 
 A Young Lady murdered by an evil Spirtt 
 through her impious uhhcs^ and after^ 
 uards tratn^formed into a Black Cat. 
 
 On tlie 27th day of May loSS, ill 
 the capital city of the duchy of Era- 
 bant called Antwerp, and in the 
 Flemish language Opdemer, lived an 
 extremely beautiful young lady of a 
 very opulent family, which rendered 
 her the means of giving full scope to 
 her sensual desires; proud and 
 haughty, her every moment was en- 
 gaged at the toilet. Being one day 
 invited to the nuptials of one of her 
 father's friends, she piqued herself ia 
 outvieing the rest of the ladies in 
 magnificence and beauty; to effect 
 >vhich she decorated and attired her- 
 self in a most brilliant dress, not for- 
 getting above all things to add new 
 
 luatre 
 
(47) 
 
 lustre to her cliarnis by the assistance 
 of rouge and other different cosmetics, 
 so hberally used by the Italian cour- 
 tezans ; and in order to elucidate tliat 
 sumptuousness and superstition of 
 bravado (as the Flemish ladies so 
 much esteem fine linen) she ordered 
 four or five ruffs to be made, of cam- 
 bric that cost her nine crowns and a 
 half the ell The ruffs being finished 
 she sent for a clear-starcher in the 
 city, to whom she begged for her to 
 get her up two of them in the most 
 magnificent stile, in order to serve 
 her for the day of the nuptials, and 
 the succeeding one, promising her as 
 a gratuity the liberal recompence of 
 twenty-four sous. The good woman 
 executed her commands with the 
 greatest care and punctuality; still 
 tliey were not done to her satisfac- 
 tion; 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 tion; she sent immediately for another 
 person of the same profession, to 
 -whom she deUvered the said articles, 
 promising her if they were got up to 
 her Mashes three times the sum she 
 had paid before: this second clear- 
 starcher exerted her utmost to satisfy 
 the ambition of her employer; but she 
 was unfortunately less successful than 
 the former; as when she brought 
 them home, the young lady not find- 
 ing them to her wishes, flew into 
 the most violent rage, threw them on 
 the floor, SMcaring and blaspheming 
 the name of the Almighty, that she 
 had sooner go to the devil, than to 
 the wedding in things so barbarously 
 executed. The enraged young crea- 
 ture had no sooner finished those 
 words but the devil, who was lying 
 iu wait, having assumed the appear- 
 ance 
 
( -i9 ) 
 
 ance of one of her favourite admirer:^ 
 presented himself before her, havhig a 
 riifT round his neck very handsomely 
 adjusted; the unfortunate seeing him, 
 and taking him to be one of her prin- 
 cipal favourites, addressed herself to 
 him in the most engaging language^ and 
 said^ '- Who has plaited your ruff in 
 such a be^^itching stile; that is just 
 the manner in which I ^vished mine?'" 
 The evil spirit momentarily replied^ 
 that he had plaited it himself ; so say- 
 ing, he took it off his neck and put 
 it jovfully upon her's; then to com- 
 plete the stratagem feigned to salute 
 her. and seizing the poor unfortunate 
 round the ^vaist, with a horrible shriek 
 
 isted furiously her neck, and left her 
 breathless and inanimate upon the floor. 
 The scream was so loud that being 
 
 ird by the father and every body in 
 p the 
 
( 50 ) 
 
 ihe houses they immediately concluded 
 tliat some misfortune had happened. 
 On going up into the room they found 
 her extended lifeless upon the ground^ 
 having her neck and face bruised and 
 discoloured^ insomuch^ that all those j 
 who looked upon that strange adven- 
 ture were so aflfrighted that their hair 
 stood an end with horror upon their 
 heads. The father and mother bewailed i 
 their loss most bitterly^ and with abun- 
 dant sighs lamented the disaster of 
 their daughter. After having consulted 
 what was the best to be done^ they or- 
 dered her to be put in a coffin and in- 
 terred^ lest they should incur dishonour 
 on their family. They gave their 
 neighbours to understand that an apop- 
 lexy had carried off their daughter sud- 
 denly. But the Almighty^ who sends 
 no affliction without a cause, would not 
 
 suffer 
 
( 51 ; 
 
 Tsufler such a thinu" to be concealed and 
 buried in the tomb of oblivion; order- 
 ed it to be nianifefted to cverv one^ 
 that it might serve as an e\am})le to 
 posterity. For as the interment was 
 about to take place with every pomp, 
 four strong and powerful men could 
 
 ^neither lift nor move the coffin from 
 the bier. The f:ithcr seeing that^ gave 
 orders for two more to come to their 
 assistance; but it was in vain, for the 
 coffin was so ponderous that it seemed 
 as though it were riveted for ever: 
 seeing which, the company freezed 
 'th horror, with one common accord 
 concluded that it should be opened, 
 it was instantly done; but at the open- 
 ing, it was found to contain nothing 
 but a black cat which leaped out im- 
 mediately, and disappeared without 
 any one's knowing what became of her. 
 F 2 The 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 The disc onsolate father frustrated in his 
 attempt^ was obliged to declare how 
 every thing had happened^ to the dis- 
 grace of their family^ and to the con- 
 fusion and condemnation of their dis- 
 solute daughter. 
 
 Th 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 ' The g/iost of an old gintloiuui in c/iainsy 
 appearing to the philosopliev Atlieiiodore, 
 {ajaet n/ated hj/ F/in//.) 
 
 TiiEPxE was at Athens a very niagni- 
 'ficent house but uninhal)ited, on ac- 
 count of a spectre v>hic h was said to 
 haunt it. The philosapher Athenodore^ 
 arrivinii* in that cit\' and having- seen a 
 written paper that signified the house 
 was to be sold and at a low price, pur- 
 ^ chased it^ and went to sleep there with 
 his domestics. As he was occupied in 
 reading and writing during the greatest 
 part of the night, he heard suddenly 
 a great noise, as if chains were drag- 
 ging along, and perceived at the same 
 time the spirit of an old man loaded 
 ith chains, which advanced towards 
 ^ iiim.. Athenodore continued writing, 
 j-the spectre made signs for him to lol- 
 r 3 low 
 
( 54 ) . 
 
 low it: the philosopher in his turn 
 made signs for it to stop, and pur- 
 sued his studies; at length he took his 
 lamp and followed the ghost, which con- 
 ducted him in the yard, then sunk into 
 a chasm of the earth, and disappeared. 
 
 Athenodore, without the least fear, 
 took up a stone to mark the place and 
 returned to his chamber to repose. On 
 the following day he informed the 
 magistrates of what had happened; they 
 went into the house and searched dili- 
 gently in the place he had pointed out; 
 the bones of a dead body loaded with 
 chains were discovered which were af- 
 terwards interred, and the house was 
 undisturbed in future. 
 
 This fact is related hy Pliny the 
 Younger {P/in. junior. Epist. ad Su" 
 ram, lih, 7. c. 27. 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 The spirit of tin- Manjitis ,h Ram/iouilld ap- 
 
 ■ jKurin-r 'to Im friaul tin- Munjuis dc 
 
 Prtci/^ (IS />'■/ (ippoiiitmcitt -u/nn uiicc. 
 
 The rnarquis of Ramboiilllct, eldest 
 1 other of the duchess of Montaiv/ier, 
 and the marquis of Precv, the eldest of 
 . the house of Nantotsiliet, both from 
 j twenty-five to thirty years of ag:-, were 
 i.uimate friends, and went to battle as 
 ^^as the custom of every person of ([ua- 
 tv in Trance. As tiiey were one day 
 inconversation about the afiairs of the 
 cuher world, after much discourse, which 
 ^sas sufficiently exure:.sive that they 
 ^vere not too well persuaded of every 
 : thing that is said concerning it, they 
 prot^iised each other that the first who 
 died would come and bring even hitel- 
 ligence to his companion. At the ex- 
 pLtionof three months the marquis of 
 
 Rambouillet 
 
I 
 
 ( 56 ) 
 
 Rambouilletset out for Flanders^ where 
 ihe scat of war was at that time; while j 
 de Precy, attacked with a violent fever, 
 was detained at Paris. Six weeks after^ 
 de Precy heard the curtains of his bed 
 draw aside^ and turning himself to !^ee 
 what it was^ he perceived the marquis 
 de Rambouillet in boots and regimen- 
 tals. He jumped out of bed and was 
 going to leap round his neck, to express 
 the joy he felt at his return; but Ram- 
 bouillet drawing a few paces back, told 
 him that his caresses were no longer 
 necessary^ that he had only come to 
 acquit himself of his word v/hich he had 
 given him; that he had been slain the 
 evening before in battle; that every 
 thing that was said of the other world 
 was exceeding true ; that he must think 
 oflivi.i.']: in another manner, and that 
 he had no time to lose as he would be 
 
 killed 
 
 i 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 killed shortly himself. \o one ean ex- 
 press the surprise that the marcjuis de 
 Preey experieneed at this diseourse; 
 not being able to believe what he heard, 
 he made another ellbrt to enibraee his 
 friend, whom he thought was deceiving 
 him ; Rambouillet seeing that he w as 
 incredulous, pointed to the place where 
 he had received his wound, which was in 
 the groin, from whence the blood ap- 
 peared to flow. After that the fan torn 
 vanished and left de Precy in a fright 
 more easv to comprehend than describe. 
 He called at the same time his valet and 
 alarmed the whole house by his shrieks. 
 Se\eral persons ran to his assistance, to 
 whom he related what he had just seen ; 
 every one around him attributed tins 
 vision to the ardor of the fever, which 
 might have turned his brain. Thcv in- 
 trcatc'd him to go to i)cd again, remon- 
 
 stratnii]^ 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 sfratiiig with him that he must have 
 dreamed of what he had said. The mar- 
 quis murh wounded to think he should 
 be taken for a fanatic^ related every ch'-j 
 cumstciUce a second time ; but it was in 
 vain for him to protest that he had seen 
 and heard his friend^ they still continu- 
 ed in the same opinion^, till the arrival 
 of the post from Flanders^ by which they 
 learnt the death of the marquis de Ram- 
 bouillet. That former circumstance be- 
 ing found consisent with truth and the 
 manner in which de Precy had related 
 it, those to whom he had told the ad- 
 venture began to believe that there 
 might be something in it, as Rambouil- 
 let was killed precisely at the hour, and 
 on the preceding evening that he had 
 mentioned it: it was impossible that he 
 had learnt it through a natural cause. 
 This event being spread abroad in Pa- 
 ris, 
 
 1 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 fis, they thought it was the efibct of a 
 troubled imagination, or a tale fabricated 
 for amusement; but Avhatcver persons 
 might say ^^ho examined the thing seri- 
 ously, there ^vas always a suspicion in 
 'their minds ^vhich nothing but time 
 'could by any mcanr. eradicate. That 
 depended upon what happened to the 
 'marquis de Precy \vho was menaced to 
 •perish in a short time after: conse- 
 quently every body looked upon his 
 destiny a? the denouemant of the piece ; 
 however he very soon confirmed their 
 doubts; for as so'on as he recovered from 
 his indisposition, 'the ci\il wars broke 
 out; he insisted on going to the battle , 
 of St.Antoinc, although his father and 
 mother who feared the prophecy, did 
 every thing they could to dissuade him 
 'from it; he was slain there to the great 
 regret of all his family. 
 
 The 
 
( 60 ) 
 
 The (hath of Carlostadt, announced hi/ a 
 spectre that seized his youngest child and 
 threatened to dash his brains out : after- 
 xcards ordered him to tell his father to 
 prepare himself] as he should call again 
 i)i three days. 
 
 The death of Carlostadt was accom- 
 panied by the most horrid circumstan- 
 ces according to the testimony of the 
 ministers of Bale his colleagues. They 
 relate (Mostrovius, page 22) that at the 
 last sermon which Carlostadt delivered 
 in the tennple of Bale^ a tall black figure 
 came and seated hirnseif beside the 
 consul. The preacher perceived it and 
 appeared much troubled. On descend- il 
 ing from the pulpit he enquired who 
 the stranger v>as that had taken his place 
 by the chief magistrate: nobody had 
 seen him. Carlcbti^dt heard of the spec- 
 tre on his return home a second time. 
 
 It 
 
 I 
 
( 61 ) 
 
 it had been there, and had seized the 
 youngest and the most tenderly belov- 
 ed of his children by the hair of his 
 head. After having lifted him from the 
 ground, it made as though it were go- 
 ing to dash his brains out; however it 
 -contented itself by ordering the child 
 • to inform his father, that in three days 
 j it should return, and that he must hold 
 - himself in readiness. The child having 
 j related to his father what it had said, 
 Carlostadt went to bed in the most dread- 
 ful horrors, and expired on the third 
 dav after. 
 
 G 
 
( 6Q ) 
 
 The azc'ful dream of Xerxes^ the king of 
 Persia. 
 
 Xerxes^ king of Persia^ deliberating in 
 a council^ whether he should wage war 
 ao^ainst Greece, was very much dissuaded 
 from it by Artabanes his paternal uncle. 
 Xerxes highly offended at the liberty he 
 had takeuj gently reproached him for it. 
 The night following he reflected seri-^ 
 ously upon the reasons of Artabanes^, i 
 and changed his resolution; having fal 
 len asleep^ he dreamt he saw a man of 
 an extraordinary stature and deport- 
 ment who said to him — '' You have 
 then renounced the design of making 
 war against the Greeks^ although you 
 have issued your orders to the Persian 
 chiefs in order to assemble your army? 
 — you have not done right to change 
 your resolution^ although you foundi 
 no one of your opinion ; go, believe me,' 
 
 followi 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 ollow voiir designs:" — having said that 
 [he vision disappeared. The next morn- 
 ino he convened his council a second 
 time, and without speaking of the dream 
 that he had had, he confessed that he 
 ,was very sorry for what he had said in 
 .his anger the day preceding to Arta- 
 banes his uncle; declared that he had 
 renounced making war against the Gre- 
 cians: those of his council overjoyed^ 
 prostrated themselves in his presence^ 
 and felicitated him for it. 
 
 The night following he had for the 
 second time the same vision^ and the 
 same phantom said to him — '' Son of 
 Darius^ thou hast then abandoned the 
 design of declaring war against the 
 Greeks, ^vithout taking any notice of 
 what I said to thee ? know that if vou 
 do not undertake instantly that cxpedi- 
 G 2 tion^ 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 tlon^ you will shortly be reduced to a 
 condition as servile as that which you 
 now enjoT is elevated." The king 
 threw himself off the bed immediately^ 
 and sent in haste to fetch Artabanes^ to 
 whom he related the two dreams that 
 he had two nights successively; he 
 added '' I intreat you to invest your- 
 self with my regal ornaments; to seat 
 yourself upon my throne, then to sleep 
 in my bed; and should the phantom 
 which appeared to me appear to you 
 likewise, I shall think the thing is or- 
 dained by the gods decrees, and I will 
 obey their orders/' 
 
 It was in vain for Artabanes to refuse 
 investing himself with the insignias of 
 royalty; to seat himself upon the king's 
 throne, and to sleep in his bed; alledg- 
 ing that all that would be useless, if the j 
 
 gods 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 gods had resolved to make him acquain- 
 ted with their wishes; that, that even 
 would be more capable to irritate the 
 gods, as they wished to make their il- 
 hision by those exterior marks; that as 
 to the rest, dreams of themselves de- 
 served not the least attention; and that 
 in common, they were only consequen- 
 ces of representations impressed strong- 
 ly on the mind the evening before. 
 
 Xerxes w^as not persuaded by these 
 reasonino:s, and Artabancs did as the 
 king desired, being well assured that if 
 the thing presented itself more than 
 once, it would be a proof of the wish 
 of the gods, of the reality of the vision, 
 and of the truth of the dream; he then 
 -lept in the king's bed, and the same 
 })hantom appeared to him and said; '' It 
 is then you who prevent Xerxes execu- 
 G 3 ting 
 
( ee ) 
 
 ting his resolution^ and accomplishing 
 what is decreed by the fates? I have 
 declared to the king what he has to 
 fear if he defers obeying my orders/* 
 At the same time it appeared to Arta- 
 banes as though it wanted to put out 
 his eys with a burning iron; he imme- 
 diately got out of bed and related to 
 Xerxes what had appeared to him;, and 
 added; ^' I change absolutely my opi- 
 nion; since it pleases the gods that we 
 should make war, and that the Greeks 
 are threatened with great misfortunes, 
 give your orders^ and make all your 
 arrangements for war/* Which was 
 immediately executed. 
 
 The 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 The ghost of Di'sfontaiiics, appearing to his 
 friend Mr, Bezuel, to inform him that he 
 had been droxcned, according to a rtcip- 
 rocal agreement. 
 
 A VENERABLE pi'iest of the city of Val- 
 
 Jonia named Bezuel^ being invited to 
 
 linner on the 7th of January^ 1708, at 
 
 ithe house of a k.dv, a relation of the 
 
 abbot de St. Pierre; Vvith this abbot, he 
 
 related to them, according to their 
 
 lesire, a circumstance concerning the 
 
 |ipparition of one of his companions 
 
 (^hom he had seen in open day, about 
 
 /elve years from that period. 
 
 In 1695, said Mr. Bezuel, being a 
 
 :hool-bov about fifteen years of age^ 
 
 formed an acquaintance with the two 
 
 lihildren of d' Abaguene^ a lawyer, who 
 
 were 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 ^vcrc school-boys like myself. The eld- 
 est was about my age^ the youngest 
 was eighteen months less; his name 
 was Desfontaines; we took our walks 
 and all our parties of pleasure together; 
 and whether Desfontaines possessed 
 more friendship for me^ or whether he 
 was more gay^ more complaisant^ more 
 lively than his brother^ I was most par- 
 tial to him* I 
 
 In 1696^ walking in the cloister of 
 the Capuchins, he told me that he had 
 lately read a story concerning two 
 friends who had promised each other 
 that he who should die the first should 
 come and tell his situation to the living; 
 that the deceased appeared to him, and 
 told him the most surprizing things. 
 Upon that Desfontaines said that he had 
 a favour to request of me ; which was 
 
 to 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 to make him a similar promise, and that 
 on his side he ^volIld make me one ; I 
 told him that I would not. He was 
 several months speaking to me of it, 
 often, and veiy seriously; I still resis- 
 ted. At length about the month of 
 August, 1696, as he was about depart- 
 ing to the university at Caen, he pres- 
 sed me so much with teai*s in his eyes that 
 I consented : ,he took from his pocket 
 at the same time two little papers that 
 he had wTitten for the purpose, the one 
 signed with his blood, in which he 
 promised me in case of death, to come 
 and give me an account of his situation 
 after death, the other in which I pro- 
 mised him the same thing. I pricked 
 my finger, a drop of blood came with 
 which I signed my name; he was 
 overjoyed to have my letter, and em- 
 bracing me for it, he returned me a 
 thousand thanks. 
 
( 70 ) 
 Some time after, he departed with 
 his brother. Our separation occasion- 
 ed us much grief; we wrote to each 
 other every opportunity, and about six 
 weeks after I received his last letter, 
 there happened to me what I am going 
 to relate. 
 
 The 31st of July, 1697, one Thurs- 
 dav, I shall remember it to my latest 
 hour; the late Mr. Sortoville with 
 whom I lodged, and who behaved with 
 great kindness to me, begged of me to 
 go into a meadow near the Cordeliers, 
 and to assist him in looking over his 
 people who were making hay. I had 
 not been there a quarter of an hour 
 when about half past two, I felt myself 
 almost stunned by an invisible blow, 
 and was taken with a fainting; in vain 
 did I lean upon my hay fork, they were 
 
 obliged 
 
- ( -1 ) 
 
 obliged to lay me upon the groinul 
 \vhcre I was extended iipwaads of an 
 hour before I recovered my senses. 
 That passed over, but as nothing before 
 that had ever happened to me I was 
 very much alarmed^ and feared lest I 
 was going to be indisposed ; however 
 it left but a trifling impression on me 
 the remainder of the day; it is true that 
 at night I slept less than ordinary. 
 
 The next day about the same hour 
 as I was leadino to the meadow the 
 grandson of Mr. de Sortoville, who was 
 at that time ten years of age, I found 
 mvself on the road attacked with a 
 similar fainting; I seated myself upon 
 a stone under the shade. That passed 
 over, and we continued our route: 
 nothing more happened to me that day^ 
 and in the night I slept but very little. 
 
 In 
 
{ 72 ) 
 
 In fine, on the morrow, the 2d day 
 of August^ being in the barn precisely 
 at the same hour, I was taken with a 
 like dizziness and langour, but more 
 serious than the others; I fainted and 
 lost my senses; one of the servants 
 perceived it: I have been told they ask- 11 
 ed me at that time what was jhe matter 
 with me, and that I answered, I saw 
 %vhat I never could have believed ; but I 
 neither recollect any question or an- 
 swer; that however accords with what I 
 remember having seen at that time, the 
 figure of a person naked to his waist, 
 but had not the lea>:t recollection who 
 he was. They assisted me to descend a | 
 ladder; I held fast to the steps; but as 
 J saw Desfontaines my companion at the 
 
 foot, 
 
(73 ) 
 
 foot, my head fell between two of the 
 steps, and I lost my senses a second 
 time. They carried me down, and 
 placed me upon a bench close by them. 
 I saw no more of Mr. Sortoville, nor 
 his domestics, although present ; but 
 perceiving Desfontaines at the foot of 
 the ladder, who M'as beckoning me to 
 come to him, I (h'ew aside on my seat 
 as if to make room for him, while 
 tliose who saw ]nc and whom I did 
 not see, althoui^h I liad my eyes open, 
 remarked tlii.^ inovcment. 
 
 As he did not come, I arose to go 
 to him. He advanced towards me, 
 took me b}' tlie left arm witli liis right, 
 and coiidncted mc about thirty paces 
 fromthciK'c into aprivatc street, keep- 
 iiMT Still fast hold of mt". The domes- 
 tics thinking that my dizziness Mas 
 II over, 
 
(74) 
 
 • 
 
 over, and that I was going to take 
 a Avalk, went each of them to their 
 business, except a servant-boy who 
 went and told Mr. Sortoville that I 
 was conversing with myself. Mr. 
 Sortoville thought I was inebriated; 
 he advanced, and heard me make 
 several questions and answers, which 
 he has told me since. 
 
 I was there about three quarters of 
 an hour discoursing with Desfon- 
 taines: '^ I promised you," said he, 
 ^' that if I died first, I would come 
 and tell you. I was drowned the day 
 before yesterday in the river at Caen, 
 nearly about this time; I was walk- 
 hig with such and such a person, it 
 was very Marm, we took it in our 
 heads to bathe, a sudden languor 
 came over mc and 1 sunk to the hot- 
 
 torn* 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 lorn. The abbot of ]\rcnil-Jcan, my 
 companion^ plunged in to save me, I 
 seized his foot; but whether he was 
 afraid it might be a salmon, as I held 
 it very fast, or whether he wished 
 to reach speedily the surface of the 
 Avater, he shook his leg so hard tliat 
 he gave me a violent blow upon the 
 breast, and threw me to the bottom of 
 the river, which is exceeding deep.'' 
 
 Desfontaines then related to me 
 every thing that had happened while 
 thev were walkins^, and about what 
 they had been conversing. It was 
 in vain for me to ask him any ques- 
 tions relative to his being saved or 
 damned — whether he was in purgato- 
 rv — whether I was in a slate of o;race, 
 and whether I should shortly follow 
 him. He continued his discourse as 
 H 2 if 
 
( 76) 
 
 if he had not heard me, or was not 
 \^'illing to hear me. 
 
 I drew near several times to embrace 
 him ; but it appeared to me as though 
 I embraced nothing, I felt, however, 
 that he grasped me very strongly by 
 the arm ; and when I endeavoured to 
 turn my head aside in order not to look 
 at him any longer, as I could not see 
 him without the greatest pain, he shook 
 my arm as if to oblige me to look at 
 him and listen to him. 
 
 He appeared to me much taller than 
 I had seen him when living, although 
 he must have grown within the eigh* 
 teen months that we had not seen 
 each other; it was the same sound of 
 his voice ; he seemed to me neither 
 gay nor sorrowful, but in a situation 
 
 calm 
 
 ^ 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 calm and tranquil. He begged of me 
 Avlien his brother returned, to tell him 
 certain things to say to his parents; 
 he entreated me to repeat the seven 
 psalms that he had had in penitence 
 on the preceding Sunday, and wliich 
 he had not then recited : after that he 
 recommended me a second time to 
 speak to his brother, and then bid me 
 adieu, separating himself from me, 
 saying, '' till then, till then,^' which 
 \vas our usual words wheu.Ave left each 
 other. 
 
 He said at the time he was drown- 
 ed, his brother, writing a translation, 
 was very loth to let him o;o alone, 
 fearing some accident might happen 
 to him. \\i^. depicted to me so well 
 the spot in which he was drowned, and 
 the tree in the avenue of Louvigni, on 
 
 the 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 the bark of which he had written a 
 few Ns^orcls ; that two years after being 
 in company with the late Count de 
 Gotot, one of those who Avere Avith 
 him Avhen he was drowned, I indi- 
 cated to him the very place, and on 
 counting the trees on a certain side 
 that Desfontaines had specified to me,. 
 I Avent straight to the tree and found 
 Lis writing: he told me likewise that 
 the article concerning the seven 
 psalms w^as true, and that in coming 
 from confession they were their peni- 
 tence ; his brother told me since that 
 it was true, at that hour he was wri- 
 ting his version, and that he reproach- 
 ed liim for not having accompanied 
 liis brother. 
 
 As I had suffered nearly a montb 
 to elapse without being able to do 
 
 what 
 
( 79) 
 
 ^vhat Desfontaines had told me ^vith 
 respect to his brother, he appeared to 
 me again twice in the forenoon at a 
 country-house, wliere I was going to 
 dine about a leao;ue from hence. I 
 found myself indisposed. I begged 
 that I might be left to myself, that it 
 was nothing, that I \vould soon re- 
 turn. I Avent into a corner of the 
 garden. Desfontaines having appear- 
 ed to me, he reproached me for nat 
 having spoken to his brother, and dis- 
 coursed with me upwards of half an 
 hour without replying to my ques- 
 tions. 
 
 On croino' the next morning' to the 
 
 catlicdral of Xotrc Dame, he appear- 
 ed to mc again, but for less time, and 
 still pressed mc to speak to his bro- 
 ther ; and left me sayings '^ till thcUy 
 
 '' till 
 
( 80 ) 
 
 //// then^'' and making no answer to 
 my questions. 
 
 It is a very remarkable circumstance 
 that I had a pain in that part of my 
 arm by which he seized me the first 
 time, until I had spoken to his bro-- 
 ther; I was three days and never 
 slept on account of the astonishment 
 I was in. After the first conversa- 
 tion, I told Mr. de Varouville, my 
 neighbour and school-fellow,, that 
 Desfontaines had been drowned; that 
 his apparition had just appeared to 
 me to acquaint me of it. He went 
 ofi'immediately to his parents, to know 
 whether it was true. They had just 
 received the intelligence; but through 
 a misunderstanding, he understood it 
 was the eldest son. He assured me 
 that he had read the letter of Desfon- 
 taines, 
 
( 81 ) 
 
 taines, and he thought it must be so. 
 I still maintained that it could not be 
 possible, and that Desfontaines him- 
 self had appeared to me. He return- 
 ed, came back, and told me all in 
 tears, that it was but too true. 
 
 Nothing has happened to me since, 
 and this strictly my adventure. It 
 has been related differently, but I 
 have never told it in any other man- 
 ner than the foregoing. The late 
 Count of Gotot has said that Desfon- 
 taines appearsd also to ^Ir. Menil- 
 Jean, but of that I am unacquainted. 
 He lives about sixty miles from hence, 
 and that is all I know. 
 
 This is a very singular and very cir- 
 cumstantial recital, related by the 
 
 Abbot 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 Abbot de St, Pierre, who is by no 
 means credulous, in the 4th vol p, 57^ 
 of his PoUtical Works. 
 
 ^ 
 
 i' 
 
 I 
 
 A Dream 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 A Dream iohl hi/ Cicero coiiccnung two Ar- 
 cadiaus icho travelling together stopped 
 at Megara, and lodged at dij/'erent houses. 
 The one oj them appeared to the other in 
 a Dream, told hint lie zcas murdered hi/ 
 the innkeeper , and begged that he would 
 look in the morning for his bodij, which 
 aas concealed in a waggon. 
 
 Two Arcadians who were travelling 
 together, arrived at Megara, a city of 
 Greece, situated between Athens and 
 Corinth. The one, Avho had a claim 
 of hospitality in the tOAvn, lodged at a 
 fri end's house, ar.d the other at an inn. 
 After supper, he who was with his 
 friend, retired in order to go to bed. 
 In his sleep it seemed to him that he 
 who wa^j at tlic inn appeared to him, 
 and l)C2.'o;ed him to assist him, as the 
 innkeeper was going to niiirder him. 
 
 He 
 
( 84 ) 
 
 He rose up immediately much terrifi- 
 ed at Ills dream. However, having 
 collected himself, he fell asleep again, 
 M'hen the other appeared to him a se- 
 cond time, and told him that since he 
 had not had the kindness to assist 
 him, he hoped he would not let his 
 death go unpunished : that the inn- 
 keeper after having killed him, had 
 concealed his body in a Avaggon, and 
 had covered it over with dung ; and 
 that he would be sure to find him 
 in the morning at the opening of the 
 city gates, before the waggon went 
 out. Struck with this second dream, he 
 went very earl}^ in the morning to the 
 gates, saw the waggon, and asked the 
 man mIio drove it wliat he had 
 under the dung. The waggoner im- 
 mediately took flight; the corpse was 
 
 takcE 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 taken out of the waggon, and the inn- 
 keeper was arrested and punished. 
 
 f icero relates this fact, (Cicero dc 
 drcinationc) 
 
 The 
 
(86) 
 
 The Ghost of Uumhcrt Birk, a Flanderhin, 
 that haunted a house in a manner similar 
 to Scratching Fan?i^^[^CoJc JL^^^^^ 
 
 Humbert Birk, a well known ci- 
 tizen of the town of Oppenheim, and 
 master of a country boarding-school, 
 died in the month of November 1620, 
 a few days before St. Martin. On the 
 Saturday after his obsequies, certain 
 noises Avere heard in the house where 
 he had lived Avith his first wife; for 
 wlien she died, he was re-married to 
 another. 
 
 The master of the house suspecting 
 that it was his brother-in-law who 
 was coming, said — ^' If you are Hum ; 
 bert my brother-in-law, knock three 
 times against the wall." At the same 
 
 time 
 
( 87 ) 
 
 time they lieard three blows distinct- 
 ly, and no move; for in eomnion he 
 paid no respect to number, lie was 
 often heard at the fountain when they 
 were going to draw water, and 
 frightened the M'hole neighbourhood. 
 He did not at all times speak with a 
 very articulate voice, but made him- 
 self heard by reiterated blows, bv a 
 noise, a palpitation, a groan, a whis 
 tie, or by a shriek like a person in 
 distress. The whole of this lasted for 
 the space of six months, when it ceas- 
 ed all of a sudden. 
 
 At the expiration of a year, and a 
 little after its aniiiversary, it was heard 
 more clamorous than before. The 
 master of the house and the most 
 courageous of his domestics, asked it 
 at length what it wanted, and in what 
 I 2 they 
 
< 88 ) 
 
 they coiilcl assist it. It replied with a 
 hoarse and croaking voice, ^* Order 
 the curate to come with my three 
 children next Saturday." The curate 
 heing indisposed, was not abte to go 
 on the day appointed ; but he went 
 on the Monday following, accompa- 
 nied by a great number of his friends. 
 
 Humbert was informed of it, who 
 replied in the most intelligible man- 
 ner. They asked him if he wished for 
 mass. He requested it to be said thrice. 
 "Whether he wished for any alms to be 
 distributed ? He ans\vered, let them 
 give eight bushels of corn to the poor;' 
 let my widow give something to all 
 my children. He then ordered them 
 to revise what had been badly distri- 
 buted in his succession, which was 
 about twenty florins. They asked him 
 
 •why 
 
( 89 ) 
 
 why he infested that house in preier- 
 cnce to any other? lie repHcd, that 
 he was obhged to it through conspi- 
 racies and maledictions: Whether he 
 had received the holy sacrament of the 
 church ? I received it from the cu- 
 rate your predecessor. They made 
 him recite to him the Pater-nostcr 
 and the Ave Maria, With much diffi- 
 culty he did, saying that he was pre- 
 vented from it by a wicked spirit that 
 would not suifer him to say many 
 other things of consec^uence to the 
 curate. 
 
 The pnest who belonged to the ab- 
 bey of All Saints, went to the monas- 
 tery on Tuesday, Jan. IC, IGCI, in or- 
 der to take the advice of his superiors 
 in so simz;ular an atlair ; they referred 
 h'xm to three monks to assist liim with 
 
 their 
 
( 90 ) 
 
 tlicir counsels. They went together 
 to tlie house where Humbert Avas con- 
 tinuing bis importunities; as notliing 
 bad been executed of what he had 
 requested. A great concourse of 
 the neio'hbours bad assembled there. 
 The master of the house told Humbert 
 to knock against the wall; he accord- 
 ingly did, but very gently; he told 
 liim a second time, '' go and fetch a 
 stone, and knock harder; a silence 
 ensued J as if he had been gone to 
 pick up a stone, a louder blow M'as 
 heard against the wall; the master 
 whispered to his neighbour as lo\r aS: 
 possible, for him to knock seven times, 
 which lie immediatelv di<l. He tes^ 
 tificd always a gicat respect for the 
 priests, and never replied to them 
 with the same boldness as he did to 
 the laity; when lie Mas asked tli? 
 
 cause 
 
( ^1 ) 
 
 cause of it. — '' It is/' said lie, ^' that 
 they liavc the holy saerament about 
 them ; they had uever had it before^ 
 but on tliat (hiy tliey fortunately liad^ 
 liavlug just said mass, llie followfng 
 day mass was said tliree times aecord- 
 ing to his request ; tliey Hkewise pre- 
 pared to make a pilgrimage, which lie 
 had specified in tlie last discourse they 
 had with hi-m : tliey promised also to 
 distribute the alms he so earnestly de- 
 sa*ed. Since tliat period Humbert ne* 
 Ycr returned a2;ain. 
 
 T/n 
 
( 92 > 
 
 T/u Spiril of a Gentleman appearing several 
 nights ta a Taylor in a cloud of Sulphur ^ 
 
 On the 9tli of September 1625, one 
 John Stcinhn died at a place called 
 Altheim, in the diocese of Constantia 
 SteinHn was a gentleman of an inde- 
 pendent fortune, and a counsellor fof 
 the city. Some few days after his 
 death hia Ghost appeared in the mid- 
 dle of the nio'ht to a tavlor named Si- 
 mon Bauh, in the shape of a man sur- 
 rounded with a gloomy flame, similar 
 to that of lighted sulphur. It con- 
 tinued its visits, but was always silent^ 
 Bauh, being much alarmed at his 
 nightly guest, w^as resolved to ask him 
 what he could do for him. He seized 
 the opportunity on the 17th of No- 
 vember following. As he was reposing 
 
 one 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 one night in his cliimncy corner, a 
 little after ele\'en in tlic evening;, he 
 saw tlie spectre open gently the door, 
 and in its usual flame fix itself before 
 ]}ini. - The taylor asked it its request: 
 it replied with a ghostly and hollow 
 voice, that he could assist him if he 
 would ; but added, ^' Do not promise 
 me if you are not resolved to execute 
 your promise." — ^' I will, should they 
 not surpass my power," replied the 
 taylor trembling. " I wish then," re- 
 sumed the spectre, ^' for you to order 
 a mass to he said in the chapel of 
 the Virgin of Kottemburgh. I have 
 made a promise for it in my life time, 
 and ne\er acquitted it. You will give 
 orders likewise for two masses to be 
 said at Altheim^ the one for departed 
 souls, and the other for the \'irgin; 
 and as I have not always been exact 
 
 ia 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 ill paying my domestics, I wish for a 
 quarter of corn to be distributed to 
 the poor." Simon promised to satis- 
 fy its demands. The spirit extended 
 to him his hand, as if to bind the en- 
 gagement ; but Simon fearing lest 
 something might happen to him, pre- 
 sented to it the corner of his seat; the 
 spectre having touched it, made the 
 impression of his five fingers on it, as 
 if it had been scorched by fire. Af- 
 ter that it vanished with such a tre- 
 mendous noise that the report was 
 heard at three houses distance. 
 
 This fact is related by a Monk of 
 Toussaint Abbey in the Black Forest. 
 
 Au 
 
( 95 } 
 
 An invisible Spirit that ififcafccl a Printing 
 OlHcCy boxed the ea)s of the 1Vork?ncn^ 
 threw their hats about the room, pelted 
 them icith stones, and committed various 
 aets of mischief. 
 
 Towards the end of the year 1746, 
 profound groans were heard proceed- 
 ing from a corner of a Printing Office 
 of a Mr. Lahart, in the city of Con- 
 stantia. The v/orkmen only laughed 
 at it at first; but on the year follow- 
 ing, about the beginning of January, 
 they heard a louder noise than before, 
 a continual knocking in the same cor- 
 ner where they at first heard only 
 groans. The invisible spectre even 
 went so far as to box the printers* 
 ears, and throw their hats about the 
 office. They had recourse to the ca- 
 puchin friars, who went with the books 
 
 proper 
 
(96) 
 
 proper to exorcise the spirit. The ex- 
 orcism being completed, they return- 
 ed home, and the noise ceased for three 
 days. 
 
 At the end of that period, the 
 knocking recommenced much louder 
 
 than before. The spectre threw the 
 letters against the windows. A famous 
 exorcist was sent for from the coun- 
 try, who was fortunate enough to lay 
 the spirit for a whole week. One day 
 the spectre dashed a young man life- 
 less on the floor, when the letters were 
 seen a second time scattered against 
 the windows. The country exorcist 
 not being able to make any thing of 
 his exorcisms, returned home greatly 
 disappointed. 
 
 The spirit continued his tricks, giv*- 
 
 ing 
 
( 97 ) 
 
 ing boxes of the ears to some, tliroNV- 
 ini;' stones, c\:e. at tlic others, in sucli 
 a manner that the compositors were 
 obhi'-ed to forsake that corner of the 
 olfice. They arrang-ed themselves in 
 tlie middle of tlie room, but still were 
 the same disturbed. 
 
 Other cxorei.^ts were sent for, one 
 of vrhom liad a genuine particle of the 
 cross, Mhich he ])ut upon the table, 
 'i'lic ^j)irit did not thiiik proper to de- 
 b^i^t from his usual gaieties, but began 
 boxinii* the ears of the exorcist and 
 the friar tliat accompanied him so vio- 
 lently that they were both very hcip- 
 ])y to lea\e tlie company. Others tlien 
 came, who liaving mixed a ([uantity of 
 -<ind and a->hes in a pail of holy water, 
 rhey scattered it about the iloor; 
 ^^\\d being furnished ^itl) suords, 
 K tliev 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 they began brandishing them about 
 the room in order to see whether 
 they could strike the spirit, and then 
 looked minutely upon the ground 
 to see whether it had left any vestige 
 of its feet upon the ashes. They 
 at length perceived that it had 
 mounted up the chimney, and ob- 
 served in several places the vestiges 
 of its feet and hands, imprinted upon 
 the ashes and holy sand. 
 
 After various efforts they dislodged 
 it from its hiding place, and in a few 
 moments after found it must have 
 glided under a table, as he had left 
 upon the floor the marks of his feet 
 and hands. The clouds of dust that 
 arose in consequence of this research, 
 occasioned every one to leave the 
 room J and give over the pursuit. 
 
 How^ever 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 Ilovrever the principal exorcist not 
 being Aviiiing to depart dissatisfied, 
 tore up a board in the corner wliere 
 the groans had lirst been lieard, and 
 found in a httle liole, several featliers, 
 three bones wrapt uj) in a dirty cloth, 
 some pieces of glass, and a bodkin. 
 He repeated several benedictions over 
 a fire wliich tliey kindled, and threv/ 
 tlie contents into it. l]ut the monk 
 had scarce returned to his convent, 
 wlien a printer's boy went to inform 
 him that the bodkin had darted out 
 of the fire three times of its own ac- 
 cord, and that a boy v/ho Avas going 
 to put it into tlie fire again M'ith a 
 pair of tonp-s, was struck violently 
 iipou the cheek. The remains of 
 what M'as found had been carried to 
 the convent of the ca])uchiii friars, 
 where they burnt Avithout the least 
 K 2 liann 
 
^ 
 
 ( 100 ) 
 
 harm arising. Some few days after 
 the infestations re-commenced in the 
 house of the printer; tlie spectre box- 
 ing tlie ears, throM ing stones and mo- 
 lesting the servants in various man« 
 ners. 
 
 ]\Ir. Lahart the master of the house, 
 received a considerable wound in the 
 head : two boys who were sleeping in 
 the same bed, were tumbled upon: 
 the ground; so that the whole house 
 was entirely deserted during the 
 night. One Sunday a servant carry- 
 ing some linen from the house was at- 
 tacked violently with stones. An- 
 otliev time two boys were precipitated 
 (low n a la(hlcr. No one was able to 
 account for tliis extraordinary phe- 
 noHKMion, nor could any of the bro- 
 therhood completely lay the spirit; 
 
 the 
 
( 101 ) 
 
 the house in a short time after be- 
 came uninhabited, and signalized 
 among tlie number of the haunted. 
 
 yl Slave 
 
( 1(>- ) 
 
 ^-1 Slave siippo^icd to have been cut in pieces 
 ihrongk his presu)nptio)i in coitjuri/ig np 
 Devils in an Old Castle at the Isle of 
 Malta. 
 
 Lv the isle of Malta^ t\va kiilglits. 
 having purchased a slave, who boast- 
 ed of his knowing the secret of con- 
 juring up devils, and obliging them 
 to discover the most hidden mys- 
 teries, they took liim into an old cas- 
 tle M'here they thought great treasures 
 were concealed. The slave began his* 
 conjurations, and in a short time the 
 demon opened a rock, and a massy 
 chest fell out. The slave v/as going; 
 to seize hold of it, but the chest re- 
 turned back into its place; the thing 
 recommenced more than once; Avhen 
 the slave, after various efforts but in 
 vain, went to the knights and told 
 
 them 
 
( 103 ) 
 
 tlicm M'luit liad happened; tluit he 
 Avas so niucli enfeebled by the at- 
 tempts he had made, that he stood iii 
 need of a litflc brandy, in order to 
 fortify his con rage. Tliey gave hnn 
 some, and in a short time, after hav- 
 ing retnrned, they heard a noise; they 
 Avent into the cavern with a light to 
 see M'hat had happened, where they 
 fonnd their slave extended lifeless ou 
 the earth ; his ])ody seemed as tliongh 
 it had been mangled with a pen-knife. 
 The gashes represented a cross. The 
 knights carried him to the borders of 
 the sea, and precipitated him into it 
 \\ ith a stone tied round his neck. 
 
 Tliis fact is related by sir Gniot dc 
 MarrC; an inhabitant of the i>.land. 
 
 A /nost 
 
( 104 ) 
 
 u4 most extraordinary account of a Ghost that 
 appeared to a Young Man, jifter lifting 
 up his bed, and removing his bedstead se- 
 veral times, and making the most uncom^ 
 monnoiseSy threw him into a kind of trance^ 
 
 4 
 
 Mr. S. ^ young man from twenty- 
 four to twenty- five years of age, re- 
 sided at St. Maur in the year 170^. 
 After having heard a violent knock- 
 ing at his door, being in bed without 
 his servant, Avho ran immediately 
 without seeing any body, and the 
 curtains of his bed drawing, although 
 there was no one but himself in the 
 room. On the 22d of March in the 
 same year, about eleven in tl)e even- 
 ing having been regulating some pa- 
 pers with three young lads his appren- 
 tices; tliey all heard distinctly a noise 
 like the rolling of papers upon the 
 
 table ; 
 
( 10,5 ) 
 
 table; the cat A\'as at first suspected; 
 but ]\fr. S. haviuo; takcu a candle and 
 searched diligently found nothing. 
 
 Being in bed a short time after, an([ 
 his boys sleeping in llie kitchen, -whielt 
 u'as attached to his chamber, lie heard 
 tlie same noise as before in his cabinet ; 
 he got up to see M'hat it was, and hav- 
 ing: found nothino* more than lie did 
 at first, he was going to sluit tlic door, 
 but he felt some resistance, upon which 
 he went in, in order to sec Mhence the 
 obstacle could proceed. He heard at 
 the same mom.ent a noise in one cor- 
 nier, similar to a blow tliat had been 
 strucl; against the wall He screamed 
 out; Ids servants came to his assist- 
 ance; lie endeavoured to cheer them 
 up, although terrified liiniself; and 
 lia\ing found nothing, he went to bed 
 
 again 
 
( 106) 
 
 again and fell asleep. Scarce had the 
 boys put out their light, when Mr. S. 
 Avas awoke a second time by a sudden 
 sliock, simihir to that of a boat strik- 
 ing against the arch of a bridge. He was 
 so alarmed that he called his servants, 
 when on their bringing a light he was 
 wonderfully surprized to find his bed 
 removed at least four feet from its ori- 
 ginal place. He immediately conceiv- 
 ed tliat tlie shock he had felt proceed- 
 ed from his bed striking against the 
 wall. His domestics having replaced 
 his bed, saw with as much astonish- 
 ment as fear, the curtains open all at 
 once, and the bed run towards the 
 chimney. Mr. S. immediately arose, 
 and passed the remainder of the night 
 by his fire-side. About six o'clock 
 in the morning, having made another 
 attempt to sleep, he had no sooner 
 
 laid 
 
( 107) 
 
 laid clown, than the bed made tlic 
 same nioveinent t^ice in presence of 
 his attendants, who held the bed-posts 
 to prevent its being displaced. In 
 fine, beino' obh2:ed to resist any far- 
 tlier, he went to take a walk till din- 
 ner; after which having endeavoured 
 to repose himself, and his bed having 
 . been twice removed from its situa- 
 tion, he sent for a gentleman M'ho 
 lodged in the same house, as mtU to 
 cheer his dejected spirits as for him 
 to witness an instance so surprizing; 
 but the shock tliat took place before 
 the gentleman, was so violent that 
 one of the posts Avere broken; this 
 alamied \l\\ S. so much that when 
 the gentleman begged that he might 
 see it a second time, he replied, that 
 what he had experienced, together 
 with the dreadful noise that he had 
 
 heard 
 
( 108 ) 
 
 licard ill tlic night, were sufficient to 
 convince him of the fact. 
 
 Thus the affair, which had till then 
 rested between Mr. S. and his do- 
 mestics, became public. The report 
 being quickly spread abroad, and 
 liaving reached the ears of an illustri- 
 ous prince who had just arrived at St. 
 ]\laur, his highness was curious t(^ 
 liave the m3'stery unriddled, in conse- 
 (jucnce of whicli, he gave himself the 
 trouble to examine minutely into the 
 facts that were related. As this ad- 
 venture Mas the subject of every con- 
 versation, nothing was heard shortly 
 after but stories concerning; o;hosts 
 by the most crcdidous, and plea- 
 santiies on the part of others. In the 
 interim I\Ir. S. was endeavouring to 
 cheer himself up against the night 
 
 following, 
 
( 109 > 
 
 fodowing, and to render hfmself wor- 
 thy of conversing M'ith the spectre^ 
 as he had no doubt hut it liad some- 
 thing to say to him. He slept till 
 the next morning, nine o'clock, with- 
 out having felt any thing more than 
 little liftings up, as if tlie bed M'as 
 rising up and down, which only served 
 to rock him and make him sleep the 
 sounder. The next day passed over 
 quietly, but on the C6th the spectre 
 Avhich appeared to lunc left off his 
 tricks, resumed his sportive disposi- 
 tion, and began in the morning to 
 make a great noise in the kitchen. 
 This, had it rested there, might liavc 
 been looked over, but about twelve 
 o'clock it grew uAore violent. Mr. 
 S. who since confest that he had a 
 particuku^ partiality for his cabinet, 
 notwithstanding he had some fears of 
 L being 
 
(110) 
 
 being there by himself; going into it \\ 
 about six o'clock, he made a few 
 turns to the farther end^ and returning 
 towards the door to go to his cham- 
 ber, was very much surprized to find 
 liimself shut up all alone and barri- 
 caded with the two bolts. At the 
 same moment the lid of a great chest 
 opened behind him and rendered his 
 cabinet rather dark on account of the 
 window being behind the lid. 
 
 This spectacle threw Mr. S. into a 
 terror more easy to imao'ine than de- 
 scribe ; however he had sar?g froid 
 sufficient to hear with his left ear a 
 distinct voice which proceeded from 
 the corner of the cabinet, and which 
 seemed to him about a foot above his 
 head, which spoke to him in very en- 
 gaging terms for some minutes, and 
 
 ordered 
 
( 111 ) 
 
 ci'dered liiin to do a certain tliinii;, 
 4^oncerning which it recommended se- 
 crecy, which he pubUshed. It gave 
 him a fortnight to accomplish it; that 
 it commanded hiiii to 2:0 in a place 
 where he would llnd ])eople to instruct 
 him what to do, and that it threaten- 
 ed to return to torment him if he fail- 
 ed in his obedience. Its conversation 
 linished by an adieu. 
 
 After this Mr. S. remembers to have 
 fallen into a swoon upon the chest, 
 during which time he felt a jKiin in 
 hh side. The violent noise and shr^ ks 
 that he fetrlied afterwards, occ^^sion- 
 ed several persons to run to his assist- 
 ance, who havini; made useless efforts 
 to open the doors oftlie cabiuet, were 
 proceeding to break it open with a 
 crow, when they heard I\Ir. S. drag- 
 L 2 ginj 
 
(112) 
 
 ging himself along towards the door, 
 which with much difficulty he open« 
 ed. In confusion Avhen he appeai-ed, 
 and beyond the power of utterance, 
 they conveyed him to the fire^ and 
 then to his bed, where he experienced 
 all the compassion of the illustrious 
 prince of whom we have already spo- 
 ken, who ran at the first report of this 
 event. His higiiness having visited 
 every corner of the house without 
 iinding any one concealed, wished Mr^ 
 S. to be let blood; but his surgeoii 
 perceiving his pulse to be v€ry low^ 
 thought that it could not be done 
 without danger. 
 
 When he recovered from his swoon^ 
 liis highness, who wished to discover 
 the truth, interrogated him concern- 
 ing his adventure. Mr. S. protested 
 
 that 
 
( 113 ) 
 
 that lie could not without running the 
 risk of his life tell him any more. The 
 spectre (lid not visit him again for a 
 fortnight, but at the expiration oftiuit 
 term^ whether his ordeis had not been 
 faithfully executed, or whether he was 
 o'lad to come and thank ]\Ir. S. for his 
 exactitude, as he was one night sleep- 
 ing in a little bed near to his cham- 
 ber window, his mother in the great 
 bed, and one of his friends in an arm 
 chair near the (ire, they all three heard 
 a violent knocking against the wall, 
 and so o-reat a blow i2:iven a^'ainst 
 the casement, that they thought all 
 the i>-lass was lu'oken. Air. S. o-ot nT> 
 immediately and went into his ca- 
 binet, in order to see whether the im- 
 portunate spectre had any thing more 
 to say, l)ut he neither found nor 
 heard anv thins;. Tliis iinishcd that 
 
 adventure 
 
{ ll'i ) 
 
 adventure, which made so much noise 
 and attracted so many of the curious 
 
 5lt St Mj^UFa 
 
 A tall 
 
( n-- ) 
 
 A tall Spectre that appeared in the air, icarrp* 
 ing the people ofBesanson to amend — nheft 
 a tcrrib/e earthqiiahe ensued^ xchich in- 
 gulphed the li'hole eitu. 
 
 In the town of Bcsaiison, on tlic 
 Sd of December 1564^ about nine 
 o'clock in. the morning, being as fine 
 weather, mild and temperate, and as 
 beautiful a sun as ever shone; a figure 
 of a man was seen in the air about 
 nine feet high, who exclaimed with 
 an awful voice three times, '* People, 
 people, people, amend or the end of 
 your days is nigh;*' this liappened on 
 a market day, in the pr^le^iceof more 
 than ten thousand pers(Jfns; after say- 
 ing these words the figure transform- 
 ed itself into a naked one, and seemed 
 to retire direct to^vards heaven. An 
 hour after or thereabouts, a cloud 
 
 over- 
 
( UG > 
 
 ovcr-sliadowed and darkened the at- 
 mosphere so much, that for twenty 
 leagues round the city it appeared as 
 though it were completely night; 
 added to that, several persons were 
 taken suddenly ill and died; the mi- 
 serable inhabitants fell to prayers> 
 forming processions, supplicating the 
 Almighty to appease the weather. 
 The honest villagers came from milea 
 around, bringing their cliildren to 
 the town. At the expiration of three 
 days the most lovely weather suc- 
 ceeded as before ; a little while after 
 that the most boisterous wind arose 
 that Av^as ever remembered, which 
 continued for an hour and a half, and 
 such a heavy fall of rain, that it 
 seemed as though it came down in 
 pipes, accompanied with a marvellous 
 earthqiuike, so that the whole city 
 
 was 
 
C HT ) 
 
 nras ingiil[)ht?(l. And out of the flat 
 country^ coinprchi'iuHng tlie said- 
 town, forty miles long and thirty 
 broad, notliing remained but a 
 chuix:h, castle, and three houses, 
 ivhich stood in the middle of the 
 city ; they are still to be seen m 
 form of a crescent, completely turned 
 towards the east; several relics of 
 the city walls are yet to be seen in 
 the church and castle. Nunbers 
 have certified the truth of the above 
 accounts, who even Avent to the cm- 
 peror to announce formally these hor- 
 rible events. In fine, the name of 
 the persons, all inhabitants of the 
 villages of Penay and Guetz, who 
 went to inform the emperor, were 
 named as follows : Mr. de la Pile^ 
 Mr. dc Courier, John Belon, John 
 Pvufin, John ^lalucn, Stephen Pelis- 
 
 soiu 
 
( 118 ) 
 
 son, Peter Desgras, John Budaulb, 
 John Pouhgney and Thomas Besnier. 
 
 The aforesaid village of Penay, was 
 about six miles distant from the city, 
 the inhabitants of which, were so ter- 
 rified at the earthquake that eleveo 
 of them died with fear* 
 
 Th9 
 
( 119) 
 
 The Spirit of a departed Soul appears to n 
 Coinitn/nuniy nho found a I use zchich 
 contained its Ashes. 
 
 Theodore de Gaze, had in Cam- 
 pania a little farm, ^\liich was cnlti- 
 vatcd by the assistance of one luis- 
 Landman alone; as he was tilling the 
 ground he discovered a round vase, in 
 which were enclosed the ashes of a 
 departed soul ; a spectre immediately 
 appeared, which connnanded him to 
 commit aii'ain to the earth the same 
 vase with its contents, or his eldest 
 son should die. The c'ountrymau 
 paid no regard to its menaces, when 
 a few days after his son was actually 
 found lifeless in his bed. A short 
 time after tlie same spectre appeared 
 to liim, reiterating to him tlic same 
 
 command, 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 command, and threatened him with 
 the death of his second son. The 
 hushandman told this to his master 
 Theodore, who went himself to the 
 spot and put it carefully in its place. 
 
 This fact is related by Le Loyen 
 
 A supers 
 
( 121 ) 
 
 A supernatural Agent appears to a HercJs- 
 i?ian in the shape of a f/oung Girl, and 
 thromxh its insinuations causes him toMur^ 
 der his 0)ilij Son. 
 
 Ix 1581, at Dalhcm, a village situate 
 between Mazelle and Sarre, one Pier- 
 ron, a liculsman. married, having one 
 boy, formed a violent attachment for 
 a voun^: Q'irl liis neio;hbour. One day 
 as he Asas absorbed in thought about 
 lier, she appeared to hun in the fields, 
 or the demon in lier shape. Pierroii 
 discovered his passion to lier, she pjo- 
 miscd to accede to his desires on cdn- 
 illtion that he vould give Inmself up 
 to her and be oljcdicnt to her in cvviy 
 thing. Pierron consented to it and 
 consummated lii.^ abominable passion 
 vith the spectre. wSome time after 
 M Abrahel 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 Abrahel, (which was the name the 
 demon assumed), begged as a pledge 
 of his affection, that he would sacri- 
 fice to her his only son, and at the 
 same moment gave him an apple for 
 his son to eat, who having tasted of 
 it fell lifeless on the floor. The pa- 
 rents frantic with despair, were incon- 
 solable. 
 
 Abrahel appeared to the herdsman 
 a second time, and promised to re- 
 store his son to life provided he would 
 grant him the favour to adore him as 
 his God. The peasant fell upon his 
 knees and adored Abrahel, Avhen the 
 child began immediately to breathe: 
 he opened his eyes, they warmed him, 
 rubbed his body, and in about the 
 space of half an hour he resumed the 
 use of his limbs and faculties. He 
 
 was 
 
( l'^^ ) 
 
 was the same in person as before, ex- 
 cepting more emaciated, more hag- 
 gard, more feeble ; his eyes hmguid 
 and sunk in ; his mo\'ements\verc more 
 slow and embarrassed ; his senses more 
 dull ard stupid. At the expiration 
 of a t\\elvemonth, the demon that 
 animated him left him with a violent 
 noise, the youth fell backwards ; 
 when his corse infected, and with an 
 insupportable odour, was drawn with 
 a crook out of his father's house 
 and interred M'ithout ceremony in a 
 field. 
 
 This event Avas related at Nancy, 
 and examined by the magistrates, 
 who enquired minutely into the fact, 
 heard witnesses, and found the cir- 
 cumstance precisely as above. This 
 M 2 account 
 
( 124 ) 
 
 account was furnished us by Mr. Ni- 
 cholas Remy, procuror general of 
 Lorraine. 
 
 Txv(^ 
 
( li:-5 ) 
 
 Tii'o Genthint^n having promised that he zcho 
 should die first, should eome and inform 
 the other how he approved of immortality ; 
 at his Decease his Spirit actually/ ap- 
 peared mounted upon a White Horse* 
 
 Michael ]\Iercati, prothono- 
 taiy of St. Siege, a gentleman of 
 known property and very learned, 
 more especially in Platonic philoso- 
 phy, to which he incessantly apphed 
 himself with Marsilus Fieinhis friend, 
 as zealous as himself to Plato's doc- 
 trine. One day these two great phi- 
 losophers discoursing upon the im- 
 mortality of the soul, and whether it 
 staid ar.d existed after the decease of 
 the body. Having discoursed large- 
 ly upon that subject they promised 
 
 each 
 
( 1G6 ) 
 
 each other and shook hands, that the 
 fjrst who should depart this world 
 should come and inform the other of 
 his future state. 
 
 Having thus separated, it happened 
 some time after, that the same Mi- 
 chael Mercati was wide awake and 
 studying at an early hour in the morn- 
 ing the same subjects of philosophy, 
 he heard a noise all of a sudden, si'-^ 
 niilar to the noise of a cavalier com- 
 ing in great haste at his door, and at 
 the same time heard the voice of his 
 friend Marsilus, who exclaimed out 
 to him : — " Michael, Michael ! No*^ 
 thing is more true than what has been 
 said of the other w^orld/'- — Michael 
 immediately opened the window, and 
 saw Marsilus mounted upon a white 
 horse which flew away with him full 
 
 speed. 
 
( 127 ) 
 
 speed. jMiehael cried out to liim to 
 stop, but lie continued his course till 
 he was out of sight. 
 
 ]\rarsihis Fiein lived then at Flo- 
 rence, and died tliere at the same 
 hour that he had appeared and spoken 
 to his friend. The latter wrote im- 
 mediately to Florence to inquire into 
 the truth of the fact, when he was 
 informed that Alarsilus had departed 
 at his same moment as IMichael had 
 heard his voice and the sound of his 
 horse at the door. Since that adven- 
 ture Michael Mercati although very 
 determined in his conduct before, 
 was transform.ed into another man, 
 and lived in a manner quite exem- 
 plary, and as a perfect model of the 
 christian life* 
 
 Cardinal 
 
( 128 ) 
 
 Cardinal Barronius relates this fact. 
 (Barronius ad an. Christi 40. torn. 5. 
 annaL) 
 
 The 
 
( i^9 ) 
 
 The Jpparttlon of a Man scats himself hj 
 his side the Day before his Deaths 
 
 A SOLDIER being quartered in tlie 
 lioiisc of a Haiclamac peasant, on the 
 frontiers of Hungary, saw a stranger 
 come in and seat himself beside his 
 host while they were at table. The 
 inaster of the house was wonderfully 
 frightened as well as the rest of the 
 company. The soldier knew not what 
 to think, being ignorant as to the re* 
 suit of what had happened. But the 
 landlord expiring on the succeeding 
 day, the soldier enquired into tlie 
 matter of surprize, lie was informed 
 it was the father of his host, a^Iio 
 died about ten years prior to that 
 epoch, who had come thus to seat 
 
 himself 
 
( 130 ) 
 
 himself beside him, and had announced 
 and occasioned his deatL 
 
 The soldier at first informed the re- 
 giment of it, and the regiment car- 
 ried the news to the general officers, 
 who commissioned the Count of Ca- 
 breras, a captain of a regiment of 
 Alandetti infantry, to enquire into 
 the fact Having arrived at the place 
 with other officers, a surgeon and a 
 judge, they took down the depositions 
 of all the people of the house, who 
 attested in an uniform manner, that 
 the spectre was the landlord's father, 
 and that every thing that the soldier 
 had said and related was strictly 
 true, which was likewise attested by 
 all the inhabitants of the village. 
 
 
( 131 ) 
 
 j4n Angel appears to a religious Character 
 in a Monaster}/. 
 
 A YOUNG man of very great family 
 named Clarus, and m bo after having 
 finished his studies was elevated to 
 the order of priesthood, giving him- 
 self to the worship of the Almighty 
 in a monaster}^, conceived he had an 
 open commerce with the angels; and 
 as it is hardly to be believed, he said 
 that on the night following, the Om- 
 nipotent would give him a m bite coat 
 in order that he might appear among 
 them. In fact about twelve o'clock 
 at night the whole monastery seemed 
 as though it Mcre agitated by an 
 earthquake. The cell of the young 
 man appeared most brilliantly illumi- 
 nated; and a noise as though a num- 
 ber 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 bcr of people were going, coming, 
 and conversing with each other. 
 
 After this had taken place he went 
 out of his cell, and presented himself 
 to the friars in the tunic, with which 
 he was invested ; it Av^as composed of 
 a stuff of an astonishing whiteness, 
 brilliant, and of an extraordinary fine 
 texture, insomuch that no one was 
 able to say of what substance it Avas 
 wrouo'ht. 
 
 '-^^ 
 
 The remainder of the night was 
 passed in singing psalms and offering 
 up thanksgivings : in the morning 
 they wanted very much to conduct 
 him to St. ]\Iartin; he made every 
 possible resistance, saying that he had 
 been expressly forbidden to appear in 
 his presence. While they were press- 
 
 ing 
 
 1 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 inghim to go there, the tunic vanished 
 before the eyes of every one present; 
 vhich proved clearly to all that it 
 must have been an illusion of the de- 
 mon, who was transforming himself 
 into an angel of light. (Sulpitius Sc- 
 te?\ vit. S. Mart 171, c. \5.) 
 
 N Th^ 
 
( 134 ) 
 
 The Spirit of a PJiilosopher while sleeping 
 transports itself into a distant Country. 
 
 A VERY learned character of Dijon, 
 after having been perplexed the whole 
 day upon an important point of a 
 Greek poet without being able to com- 
 prehend its meaning, went to repose 
 amidst all his embarrassed thoughts. 
 While he was asleep, his geni transport- 
 ed him in idea to Stockholm, intro- 
 duced him into the palace of her Chris-* 
 tian Majesty, conducted him into the 
 library, and shewed him a little vo- 
 lume, which was precisely the one he 
 was in search of He opened it, and 
 read ten or a dozen Greek verses, which 
 cleared up actually the difficulty that 
 had impeded him so long, lie awoke, 
 and committed to paper the verses that 
 
 hr 
 
( 135 ) 
 
 he had seen at Stockliohri. Tlie next 
 clay he wrote to ^Ir. Descartes, who 
 v^as then in Sweden, and begged him 
 to look in sueli and sueli a partition of 
 the lii)rary, and see whether the book, 
 of which he sent liini a description, 
 was there, and whetlier the Greek 
 verses tliat he had transmitted were 
 contained in it. 
 
 Mr. Descartes wrote him that he 
 had found the book in question, and 
 that the verses were actually in the 
 very place he had pointed out; that one 
 of his friends had promised him a copy 
 of the woik, and would send it him 
 the first opportunity. 
 
 X 2 A Spectre 
 
( 136 ) 
 
 A Spectre appears to an Old Woman, and 
 points out a hidden treasure. 
 
 An old woman of Malta was in- 
 formed by a geni, that there was m 
 her cellar concealed a treasure of 
 inestimable value, belonoinoi: to a 
 knight of very great distinction, 
 and ordered her to inform him of it. 
 She went, but found it impossible to 
 obtain an audience. The night fol- 
 lowing, the same geni returned; gave 
 her a similar charge; and on her re- 
 fusing to obey he ill treated her, and 
 sent her back a second time. On the 
 following day she went to the noble- 
 man again, and told the servants that 
 she would not leave the house until 
 she had seen their master. She re- 
 lated to him what had happened to 
 
 her; 
 
( 137 ) 
 
 her; upon heaving- this the knight re- 
 solved to go home with her, accompa- 
 nied hy a number of persons furnished 
 vith pickaxes and otlier instruments 
 used in digging up tlie earth. The} dug, 
 and in a very little time such a torrent 
 of water issued from the fracture they 
 liad made, that they were obhged tp 
 give up their enterprize. 
 
 The knight went, and confessed to 
 tlie inquisitor what he had done, and 
 received absolution. Still he w as oblig- 
 ed to write in the registers of the in- 
 quisition the fact we have just related. 
 
 About sixty years after, the canons 
 of the cathedral at Malta being desir- 
 ous of forming before tlieir church a 
 more extensive square, purchased se- 
 veral houses in order to pull down, 
 
 and 
 
( 138 ) 
 
 and amongst others that \vhich had be- 
 longed to the old Avonian. Digging 
 there they found the treasure which 
 consisted of several pieces of gold 
 about the value of a ducat, bearing 
 the eflfigy of Justin I. The Lord Stew- 
 ard of Malta pretended that the trea- 
 sure belonged to him, as sovereign of 
 the island : the canons contested it 
 Avith him. The affair was carried to 
 Rome: tlie Lord Steward gained his 
 cause : the gold was brought to him, 
 to the value of about sixty thousand 
 ducats. However he gave them to the 
 cathedral church. 
 
 Some time after the knight of whom 
 we have spoken, who was then very 
 much in years, remembering what had 
 happened, pretended that the treasure 
 ought to belong to him. He ordered 
 
 himself 
 
( 159 ) 
 
 himself to be conducted to tlie spot^ 
 recognized tiie cave in which he had 
 formerly been, and pointed ont in the 
 registers of the incjuisition ^vhat lie 
 had written there sixty years before. 
 That, however, did not enable him to 
 recover the treasure ; still it was a 
 convincing proof that the demon was 
 acquainted with, and presided' over,, 
 the money. 
 
 A Spirit 
 
( 140 ) 
 
 A Sjjirit convinces a Fhilosophcr in a Dreart^ 
 of the immortality of the Soul. 
 
 A Physician named Geniradc, a 
 great friend of St. Augustin, and well 
 known at Carthage by his extensive 
 u:enius and his benevolence to the 
 poor^ doubted there was any other life 
 after this. One night he saw in a 
 dream a young man, who said, — '' fol- 
 low me." — he followed him in idea, 
 and went into a city, w^here he heard 
 on his right an astonishing melody ; 
 he had not the least remembrance of 
 what he saw on his left. 
 
 Another time, he saw the same 
 young man, who said to hnn ; ''Do 
 you recollect me?" ^'Exceeding 
 well/' replied he. ^' And how came 
 
 you 
 
( 141 ) 
 
 you to know me?'' He then related 
 to him every thing that this youtli 
 had shewn him in tlic eitv into which 
 he had conducted him. The young* 
 man added, " ^^'as it then in a dream 
 or awake tliat you saw all this ?" — '^ In 
 a dream/' said he; '' And what I am 
 saying to you now, do you hear it in 
 a dream or awake?" ^' In a dream/' 
 replied he. '' How is it then possible 
 for you to see me?'' As he was hesi- 
 tating, and knew not how to answer, 
 the young man resumed : " Just as 
 you see and hear me now your eyes 
 are closed, and your senses are asleep, 
 shall you after death, live, see, and 
 hear, but with the faculties of tlic 
 spirit; therefore never form a doubt 
 that there is no life after thi.^. — This 
 event is related l)y St. Augusiin. 
 
 A Boat' 
 
( 142 ) 
 
 A Book flics from one place to another^ and 
 opens by an inxisihU hand. 
 
 When Mr. Patris accompanied 
 Mr. Gaston in Flanders, he resided in 
 the castle of Egmont: the hour for 
 dinner being arrived, and on going 
 out of his chamber to the room in 
 which they dined, he stopped as he 
 -wa? passing the door of an officer be* 
 longing to Mr. Gaston's regiment, in 
 order to take him with him : he knock- 
 ed tolerably hard ; seeing the officer 
 did not come he knocked again, and 
 called him at the same time, asking 
 him whether he did not mean to come 
 to dinner. The officer made no an- 
 swer; Patris having no doubt but he 
 w^as in his room, as the key was iu 
 the door, opened it, and on going in, 
 
 saw 
 
( 1« ) 
 
 saw him slttinp; at his table Hke one 
 
 distracted; he went up t() him and 
 
 asked him what he was about. The 
 
 officer recovering himself, said ^' You 
 
 would not be less surprized than my- 
 self, if you had seen as well as I, that 
 
 book you see yonder tly there of its 
 
 own accord, and the leaves turn over 
 
 of themselves, without beholding any 
 
 thing farther." It was a philosophical 
 
 uork of Cordan, concerning the sub* 
 
 tility of matter. ^' Come, come,'' 
 
 said Mr. Patris, '^ vou are oidv iest* 
 
 ing, your imagination filled with what 
 
 you had just read, you must have got 
 
 up and put tjie book in the place 
 
 where it is, and on sitting down again 
 
 with your senses absorbed, and not 
 
 finding: the book before vou, vou 
 
 have thought it went there of" itself." 
 
 j 'J ^\'hat I tell you," icpHecl the ofliccr, 
 
 "15 
 
( 144 ) 
 
 ^^ is very true, and as a proof that it 
 Avas no vision, out of that door, 
 which was opened and shut, the ghost 
 retired." M\\ Patris went to open 
 the door he spoke of, Avhich took 
 him into a long gallerj^, at the end of 
 which, there was a w^ooden chair so 
 heavy w4iich must have been impos- 
 sible for two of the strongest men to 
 lift. This chair was seen to move of 
 its own accord, and quitting its place, 
 came straight towards him, as if sup- 
 ported in the air: terrified at this pro- 
 digy, Mr. Patris exclaimed out, '' Mr. 
 Devil, the concerns of God apart, I 
 am very much your servant; but I 
 beg of you not to frighten me any 
 more;" upon which the chair return- 
 ed into its place. This made a very 
 strong impression upon the mind of 
 Mr. Patris, and did not a little con- 
 tribute 
 
( 1-^5 > 
 
 tribute to inspire him with religion. — 
 Mr. Segrais makes mention in hii 
 historical remarks of this event, Avho 
 says he learnt it from ]\lr. Patris him- 
 self, M'ho was a gentleman M'orthy of 
 belief, and who related it to him in 
 the most serious manner possible. 
 
 The 
 
( U6 ) 
 
 The Apparition of a Woman after lier decease 
 visits and torments htr Dautrhter. 
 
 Before and after Easter in the 
 year 1700, an apparition made. its ap- 
 pearance in the house of Mr. Vidi, a 
 tax gatherer of Dourdaus, which com- 
 nienced by making a noise in a room 
 at a distance from any other, which 
 was appropriated to the use of one of 
 his servants, who happened to be in- 
 disposed; the poor girl frequently 
 heard the most profound groans, 
 similar to those of a penwn in dis- 
 tress, but saw nor felt nothing. She 
 laid under these miserable apprehen- 
 sions of fear nearly for the space of 
 six months. When she v/as recovered 
 Air. Vidi sent bcr to her father's, in 
 order to breathe her native air; she 
 staid there about a month, during 
 
 which 
 
( H7 ) 
 
 M'hlcli time she neither saw nor lieard 
 any thing extraordinary. 
 
 At the expiration of which time, slic 
 returned lionie in perfect health, ex- 
 cept that of havinji,' a rasli, being the 
 relics of her disorder. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Vidi ordered her again to sleep in the 
 little room ; the sound of these words 
 so alarmed her, that slie told them the 
 must absolutely be excused, as she 
 had frequently heard a noise there. 
 Two or three days after being in an 
 outhouse, where she went to fetch 
 some wood, she felt sometliing pull 
 her by the petticoat. After dinner 
 on the same day, Mrs. Vidi sent her 
 to hear a particular mass which is 
 said after Easter; as she was comijig 
 out of the church, slie felt the invi- 
 sible spectre pull her with such vio- 
 O 2 lence 
 
C 148 ) 
 
 lence by the petticoat, that she stood 
 for some time motionless. An hour 
 after this she returned home, and on 
 going into her mistresses room, she 
 was attacked a third time in the same 
 familiar stile. Mrs. Vidi perceiving 
 her terrified enquired into the cause, 
 when the poor unfortunate told her 
 how she had been beset at different 
 times, and at that very moment she 
 had been caught hold of b)^ an un- 
 known hand : Mrs. V. looking at her 
 )&tedfastly, perceived that several plaits 
 of her petticoat were torn out behind, 
 and that a clasp that fastened it was 
 broken. The girl had at that time 
 both her hands engaged. 
 
 Mrs.H^. seeing this prodigy shud- 
 dered at it with horror, and told the 
 servant to go immediately into an 
 
 antichamber, 
 
( 1-^9 ) 
 
 antlchamber, and put down that which 
 she had in her hands. As she was 
 goHig- out of the room the spectre 
 palled licr very hard again: this was 
 on a Friday evening. On Sunday 
 night as soon as slie was in bed, she 
 iieard it walking in her chamber, and 
 a short time after that the spectre 
 came and laid itself by her side, and 
 passed a hand ovcrlier face of a death- 
 ly coldness as if it wanted to caress 
 lier. Slie took her rosary wliich was 
 in her pocket, and put it round her 
 neck. Air. and Airs. \'idi had told 
 Ijcr on the day preceding, that if she 
 continued liearing any thing, for lier 
 to conjure tlie spirit in the name of 
 C'Od to explain itself to her, wlilch 
 .^he did mentally ; the terror she was 
 ill at that awful moment having de- 
 prived her of her speech. She then 
 
 heard 
 
( 150 ) 
 
 heard a muttering noise, but nothing: 
 articulate. Between three and four 
 in the morning the spectre made so 
 great a noise that it seemed as though 
 the house was falhng down. This 
 awoke every body. Mrs. Vidi called 
 her Jille de chamhre to go and see 
 %vhat it was, thinking it might have 
 been the servant. They found her in 
 a dripping perspiration; she dressed 
 herself all but her stockings, which 
 she could not find. She went in thit 
 state into Mr. and Mrs. V.'s chamber^ 
 ^vho saw a cloud of smoke similar to 
 a fog that followed her and disap- 
 peared in a moment after. She made 
 them a recital of every thing that had 
 taken place. They told her to get 
 lierself in readiness, and as soon as 
 the bells rang for mass at five o'clock 
 she must go to confess and receive 
 
 the 
 
( l^'l ) 
 
 the sacrament. She vent to fetch 
 her stockings that she could not iinch 
 Her mistress told her to searcli every 
 'S\'here under the bed, >vhich she did, 
 but she found them thrown upon the 
 tester: she reached them down with a 
 long stick. She found lier shoes set 
 upright against the window, and ob- 
 served that one of the windows was 
 open. AVhen she had resumed her 
 senses she went to confess and receive 
 the sacrament. On her return, Mr. 
 Vidi asked her what she had done. 
 She told him tliat as soon as she went 
 to tlie communion table she saw Iier 
 mother by her side, who looked just 
 the same as she did in lier illness al- 
 thou2:h she had been dead eleven vears. 
 After the communion slie retired into 
 a chapel, where she had no sooner en- 
 tered, but her mother fell upon her 
 
 knees 
 
( 152 ) 
 
 knees before her and took hold of her 
 liands saying," — " Daughter, be not 
 afraid, I am your mother. Your bro- 
 ther was burnt by an accident while I 
 was at the lord of the manor's oven at 
 Oisonville, near d'Etampes. I went 
 immediately to the good old curate 
 of Garanecirs to ask a penitence, 
 thinking that misfortune was occa- 
 sioned through my neglect. He would 
 not ?ive it me, savins; I was not cul- 
 pable, and sent me to the peniten- 
 tiarist at Chartres. I went to him, 
 and he refused in the same manner to 
 give me one; but as he saw that I 
 persisted in having one, that which f 
 he impose 'vi upoti me was, to wear a 
 horse-hail p irdle for two yCc/ts, which 
 I was unable to execute ou account 
 of my prc^mai clcs a..u iiidispcsitions. 
 Being now dead will you fulfill this 
 
 penance 
 
( ^^^ ) 
 
 penance for me ?'' The daughter pro- 
 mised she would. The mother tlieu 
 charged her to fast upon bread and 
 Avater four Fridays and Saturdays, to 
 order mass to be said at (iromerville, 
 to pay to one Lanier, a miller, twenty- 
 six sous whiehshe owed him for flour, 
 that he had sold her ; and to go iuto 
 the cellar of the house where she died; 
 that she would find the sum of seven 
 livres which she had concealed under 
 the first step ; that if the person to 
 whom the house then belonged would 
 not suffer her to look there, she was not 
 to force him, as she was not in paiti 
 for it ; to make a journey to Chartres 
 for her to the church of Xotrc dame, 
 and that she would yet speak to her 
 once more. She made her many re- 
 monstrances, telling her that she must 
 prav to the Viri»iii .\Iar\' that God 
 
 ^\oul(l 
 
( 154 ) 
 
 would refuse her nothing, that pe- 
 nance in this world was very easy to 
 perform ; but that in the other was 
 very difficult. 
 
 On the next day she ordered a mas^ 
 to be said, during which time the 
 spectre took off her beads. The sam.e 
 day it took hold of her hand and 
 pressed it most affectionately. The 
 two following days she saw it stand- 
 ing by the side-board while Mr. and 
 Mrs. Vidi were at supper; her master 
 perceiving her look chilled with hor- 
 ror while the big drops ran trickling 
 down her cheeks, he made signs to her 
 to know what was the matter. She 
 told him that she saw her mother; 
 and on the next day >vhen there was 
 not so many people, she shewed Mr. 
 and Mrs. Vidi that it was still in the 
 
 same 
 
( 155 ) 
 
 same place, but tlicy saw nothing. 
 Mr. Vidi thought it was expedient for 
 her to acquit as soon as possible her 
 mother's obligations ; on that account 
 he sent her the first opportunity to 
 Gromerville, where she gave orders 
 for#a mass, payed the twenty-six sous 
 ^diich wQir actunily due, and found 
 the i^evcn Yvics M'hich Avere under the 
 third step of the cellar as the spectre 
 had indicated. From thence slie went 
 to Chartres, wliere she ordered three 
 masses to be said and received the sa- 
 crament in tlie choir. As she was 
 coming out her mother appeared to 
 her a second t me, saying '' daughter 
 ^vill you d> all I told you?" The 
 daughter replied yes, at the same 
 time she said to her ; — '' I shall acquit 
 myself and charge you with it in my 
 
 place. 
 
( 156) 
 
 place. I bid you adieu, speak not to 
 me I am going to eternal glory/' 
 
 Since that period the girl neither 
 saw nor heard any thing more. She 
 wore the horse-hair girdle night and 
 day for two years as her mother had 
 recommended. 
 
 This fact, taken from a manuscript 
 of Mr. Barce, was written December 
 15, 1700, by Mr. Vidi to Mn Quin- 
 dre his friend at Orleans. 
 
 This 
 
( 157 ) 
 
 This Historical Trarf , rr>prcfi/ry (yfar/cs Ic 
 Ch(iiii'i\ related l)}f hint -(If in l^atin, rca^ 
 extracted J n))ii the nuuniMn-ijit^ '24i-7. hc^ 
 Jongi)}'^ to the \(ili()}ial J^ihrar?/, in fn/in^ 
 2)age 188. The tra?is/ation is,asJo//orc's. 
 
 One SiUKlay iiigiit rcturnino' from 
 inatins, as this prince was goino; to 
 repose, an awful voice murmured iu 
 ])is ears. '' Charles tliy spirit is going 
 to leave thy body, thou slialt come 
 and see the judgments of the Omni- 
 potent, which shall serve thee either 
 as a preservative or presage. 'J1iy 
 .spirit nevertheless shall l)e rendered to 
 thee some time after. At that mo- 
 ment his spirit was ravished from liini, 
 and the spectre tliat bore it a^ay was 
 of a splciuHd whiteness. He put in- 
 to his hand a clew of thread which 
 P cast 
 
( 158 ) 
 
 cast forth an extraordinary light very 
 similar to that of a comet. He un- 
 Avound it and said, ^^Take this thread 
 and tie it fast to the thumb of your 
 right hand ; by \diich means I will 
 conduct you into the infernal laby- 
 rinths." 
 
 This being done he Malked before 
 nie with an astonishing swiftness, 
 said the king, but kept unw^inding 
 this clew of luminous thread, he con- 
 ducted me into profound vaUies of 
 lire and full of burning pits, where 
 pitch, sulphur, lead, wax, and other 
 unctuous matters were bubbling up. 
 I remarked the prelates who had served 
 my father and ancestors. Although 
 trembling I did not fail interrogating 
 them to learn the cause of their tor- 
 ments. They replied, " we have been 
 
 bishops 
 
( m ) 
 
 bishops of your father and ancestors, 
 wt and instead of exciting' in thcni peace 
 and union, we have only sown amongst 
 them discord and trouble. On that 
 very account we are cngulphed in 
 these subterraneous caverns with ho- 
 micides and thieves. It is here your 
 bishops will come and all that nu- 
 merous train of officers that surround 
 you and imitate us in evil 
 
 While the king all in a tremble^ was 
 considering these things, he perceived 
 a great number of black and horrible 
 monsters, who with crooks and flam- 
 ing swords fell upon him in order to 
 seize the clew of thread from the 
 hands of the prince; but the extreme 
 light that it cdst prevented them from 
 taking it. These same demons Mant- 
 cd to seize the king behind and pre- 
 P C cipitate 
 
( 1^0 ) 
 
 cipitatc him into the pits of sulphur^ 
 but tliC conductor guarded him care- 
 fully from the snares they were then 
 extending for him, and led him upon 
 the top of lofty mountains^ from Mdience 
 the torrents of fire arose which melted 
 and kept in a boiling state all kinds of 
 metals. There, said the king, I found 
 the souls of lords who had served my 
 father and brothers; some wereplungecl 
 over their heads, others up to the 
 chin, and others to the middle of their 
 waist. They then exclaimed, address- 
 ing themselves to me, '^Alas! Charles 
 you see hov/ we are punished in these 
 torrents of flames, for having sown 
 trouble and division between your fa- 
 ther, brothers and yourself!" I can- 
 not however help, continued king 
 Charles, bewailing their misfortunes. 
 At the same time I saw dragons dart- 
 ing 
 
( 161 ) 
 
 ing at inc witli tlicir fiery mouths en- 
 deavouring to engul])h me, but my 
 couductor fortified me by tlie clew of 
 tliread n\ ith whicU he surrounded me, 
 and the extraordinary light so dazzled 
 the dangerous animals that they could 
 not reacli me. We then descended 
 into a valley, the ore of which Avas 
 dismal and obscure, but notwithstand- 
 ing liiled with burning furnaces: I 
 .found the opposite side very light and 
 pleasant. 
 
 I endeavoured particularly to exa- 
 mine tnc obscure side; there I saw 
 kings of my ov/n race tormented with 
 strange punishments. My heart devour- 
 ed by cnuHi and grief, I thought every 
 moment of being precipitated head- 
 long into the same gulpl), by gloomy 
 monsters, that set the whole valley in 
 
 ilames 
 
( 1(^2 ) 
 
 flames. Fear did not forsake me. 
 However by the means of this lumin- 
 ous clew ; I perceived that the other 
 side of the valley began to grow 
 lighter, uhen I remarked two foun- 
 tains, the water of one was very warm, 
 and the other more mild and temper- 
 ate. By means of the lummous clew 
 ^\hich conducted me, I observed twa 
 casks each of them filled with these 
 different waters. In the one I saw mj 
 father Lewis, Avho was plunged up ta 
 his Avaist. Although overwhelmed 
 ^vith grief and sorrow, lie kept cheer- 
 ing up my spirits, and said ; my dear 
 sou Charles, fear nothing, I know^ 
 your spirit will return into your body;: 
 it is the Almighty who has permitted; 
 you to come here in order to see me 
 suffer for my sins, from this cask of 
 boiling Avater, I am conveyed from 
 
 day 
 
( i^>;5 ) 
 
 ilay to day, into that of a miUt and 
 moderate heat. It is a consolatioa 
 that I owe to tlic prayers of St. Peter^ 
 St. Dennis and St. Kcniy, wlio are the 
 proteetovs of onr royal house; l)ut 
 through your prayers, ofllcMing's, ahns^ 
 you eau assist nie, you my faithful 
 bishops, ahl^ots, and even all the ec- 
 clesiaj^tical order, uhen I shall not be 
 long before I am delivered from this 
 boiling cask. Your brother Lothario 
 and Lewis his son, have been exempt 
 from these punishments through the 
 intercession of St. Peter, St. Dennis 
 and St. Rcmy; and they now enjoy 
 all the delights of paradise. Look on 
 your left, says my father to me; I im- 
 mediatelv turned nn' head and I ob- 
 served two large and spacious casks 
 of boiling water. '* l^chold to wliat 
 thou art destined, continued he, if you 
 
 do 
 
( 164 ) 
 
 do not correct yourself and do penance 
 for your crimes." Dread seized me 
 instantaneously, when my guide who 
 perceived it, said, '^ Follow me into 
 the part which is on the right of this 
 valley, wl^erein is found all the glory 
 of paradise. I did not walk far, be- 
 fore I saw in the midst of the most 
 illustrious of kings, my uncle Lotha- 
 rio, seated upon a topa of an extraor- 
 dinary size, and crowned with a rich 
 diadem. His son Lewis was in splen- 
 dor just as brilliant; scarce had be 
 perceived me when with an affection- 
 ate voice he called to me and spoke 
 -•in the following terms; '' Charles, 
 who are my third successor in the 
 lloman Empire, approach." I know, 
 continued he, that you are come in 
 these places of torment and trouble, 
 where your father and brother have 
 
 yet 
 
f ( IG5 ) 
 
 vet to suficr a consi(lcnil)lc time. But 
 ))y the merey of God they will be de-- 
 livered from their sufferings at last, in 
 tlie sam.e manner as Ave were extri- 
 cated from ours, tlirough tlie prayers 
 of St. Peter, ^t, Dennis and St. Remy> 
 Avhom God has established as the pa- 
 trons ofmonarchs and theFrench nation- 
 And had tliey not been our proteetors 
 our family would have been no longer 
 on tlie throne. Know then that it 
 will not be long before vou are de- 
 throned, after which you shall live a 
 little while. Lewis turning; himself 
 towards me, tlie Roman Empire, said 
 he, which you have possessed till now, 
 must pass incessantly into the hands of 
 Lewis my daughter's son : at that very 
 moment I perceived tlie youth. Com- 
 ^ mit to him then the soveieign autho- 
 xitv, continued Lewis, and :;'i\'e In'm 
 
 proofs 
 
( ^66 ) 
 
 proofs of it, by entrusting him \vitli 
 tlie clew that you now hold. I im- 
 mediately detached it from my hand 
 to give him. By that he was invested 
 with the empire, and the whole clew 
 was in his hand. Scarce was he mas- 
 ter of it, but he became arrayed in 
 robes of light; and what is very sin- 
 gular, my spirit returned into my 
 body. Thus the whole world will see in 
 despight of earthly struggles, that he 
 will possess the whloe Roman Empire 
 that God has destined to him, and I 
 shall have passed to another life: this 
 shall the Lord execute, whose power 
 extends to all ages over the living and 
 the dead. Amen* 
 
 n^ 
 
( 1G7 ) 
 
 The Ghost of a Xoblcma?! appears in armour 
 tv his (Jomviandcr luuUr whose sertiec he 
 had lost his life, 
 
 A GKNTLKMAxnaniccI Jlumocrt, the 
 son of a nobleirian named Giiichard, of 
 Cclioc, in the diocese of Macon, having 
 ir one cKay declared war v, ith some other 
 noblemen of his neighbourhood, a 
 gentknnan named Jelfery, received in 
 th(' fiay a wound of which he died ou 
 the spot. 
 
 About two months after this same 
 Jeffery appeared to a gentleman nanud 
 Milo, and heic^ed him to tell Hum* 
 bert in ^' hos ser\'ice he had lo>t his 
 life, that he v. js in torment for ha\ ing 
 assisted in an iiir)ust war, and for not 
 having expiated before his dcalli his 
 
 sins 
 
( 168 ) 
 
 sins by penance ; that he intreated 
 him to take compassion on him 
 and his father Guichard, who had 
 bequeathed him vast possessions, which 
 he had idly lost, besides one part of 
 which was dishonestly acquired; that 
 in fact Guichard, Humbert's father^Jiad 
 embraced a religious life at Cluny; 
 but that he had had time to satisfy 
 the justice of God for the sins of his 
 past life; that he conjured him then 
 to offer for him and his father the sa- 
 crifice of mass, to give alms and ob- 
 tain the prayers of people of fortune 
 in order to procure them both a 
 speedy deliverance from the troubles 
 thev had endured. lie added, tell 
 liim that if he will not listen to you I 
 shall be obliged to go myself and an- 
 nounce to him what 1 have just told 
 you. 
 
( ^^9 ) 
 
 M\\o acquitted himself taitlihiUy 
 of his commission. Humbert was ter- 
 rified at it, but lie did not become the 
 better for it. At all times fearing lest 
 Guichard his father, or Jefferev should 
 come to trouble him, he never dared 
 to stay l)y himself, ami more especi- 
 ally during* the night, he always 
 made some of his people be witli him 
 to keep liim company. One morning 
 as he was lyinu- awake in his bed, he 
 saw Jeffery stand before Inm, armed 
 as in the day of battle, mIio slieued 
 liim the mortal wound he had re- 
 ceived, and which appeared still quite 
 fresh. lie reproached him bitterly 
 for the little compassion he shewed 
 towards liim and his own father, w lio 
 was groaning in torments. '* 'i^ikc 
 care/' added he, '' lest tlie Almighty 
 should treat you in his wrath, and 
 (^ deny 
 
( 170) 
 
 deny you the mercy that you refuse 
 us ; and more especially, take great care 
 to execute the resokition that you 
 have takeu to go to war witli the 
 Count Armccles ; should you do that, 
 you will lose your life and fortune.'* 
 
 He spoke, and Humbert was just 
 going to answer him, when Squire 
 Vichard, Humbert's counsellor, ar- 
 rived from mass, and the spectre dis- 
 appeared. From that moment Hum- 
 bert laboured seriously to comfort 
 his father and Jeifery, and resolved to 
 jnake the journey to Jerusalem, in or- 
 der to expiate his sins. 
 
 This fact is related by Peter the 
 venerable, abbot of Cluny4 
 
 The 
 
( 171 ) 
 
 The Ghost of a Young Lady commits several 
 acts of violence . 
 
 Is the country of Itatans in Pcni, 
 a young lady named Catharine, died 
 at the age of sixteen, an untimely 
 death, and guilty of several sacrileges. 
 Her corse immediately after her de- 
 cease was so infected, that it was 
 obliged to be put in the open air, 
 in order to get rid of the putrid odour 
 that exlniled from it. At that very 
 hour dreadful bowlings of dogs were 
 heard ; and a horse before exceeding 
 ; tame, began to prance, kick, tear 
 , up the earth with his feet, and after- 
 v/ards broke from his stable. A 
 young man who was lying in his bed 
 Was torn out of it by his arm with 
 violence, A servant received a blow 
 Q 2 upon 
 
( 172 ) 
 
 upon the shoulder, of which she car- 
 ried the marks for several days. All 
 this happened before the corse of Ca- 
 tharine was inhumed. Some time after 
 several inhabitants of the place saw a 
 great quantity of bricks and tiles^ 
 thrown with a great noise off the 
 house in which she died. The maid- 
 servant of the house was dragged 
 along by her Jeg, without any one 
 apparently touching her, and that 
 happened in presence of her mistress, 
 and ten or twelve other ladies. 
 
 The same servant going into a room 
 to take some cloaths, perceived Ca- 
 tharine, w4io arose up to seize aa 
 earthen vessel. The girl fled immedi- 
 ately, but the spectre took the vase, 
 threw it against the wall, and broke 
 it in a thousand pieces. The mistress^ 
 
 baving; 
 
( 173 ) 
 
 having ran at tlie noise, saw a quarter 
 of a brick daslied with violence against 
 the windows. The next chiy the image 
 of a crucifix affixed to the wall was 
 suddenly torn away, in presence of all 
 the housC; and broken in three pieces^ 
 
 On 
 
( 174) 
 
 A Young Gentleman troubled hif the incan^ 
 tatlons of a Wizard. — A fact related by a 
 Clergyman. 
 
 On Friday the 1st of May 1705, 
 ilbout five in the evening, Dennis Mis- 
 anger, a young man eighteen years of 
 age, was attacked Avith an extraordi- 
 nary malady, which commenced by a 
 species of lethargy. Every surgi-cal 
 and medicinal aid was given him : he 
 then fell into a species of madness, or 
 convulsions, when he was obliged to 
 be held by five or six persons, fearing 
 lest he should precipitate himself out 
 of the Avindows, or beat his brains out 
 against the wall. The emetic which 
 was given him, made him cast up a 
 quantity of bile; after which he Avas- 
 tolerably composed for four or five 
 
 days. 
 
 Towards 
 
( 175 ) 
 
 Towards the end of the month of 
 May, lie was sent into the country to 
 take tlie air : lie again was taken with 
 another indisposition, so very unusual 
 that it was thought he was hewitched; 
 and what confirmed them in tlieir con- 
 jecture, was, that he had never had a 
 fever, nor ever lost his strength in all 
 his illness. They asked him m hether 
 he had never had any dealings with 
 any one suspected of sorcery or 
 ^'itclicraft. 
 
 He declared that on tlic 18th of 
 April preceding, as he was riding 
 through the village of Noisy, his 
 horse stopped short in the middle of 
 Feret Street, opposite the chaj^el, and 
 in despiglit of all his efforts with the 
 wdiip and spur, he could not make him 
 go on. A shepherd was at that time 
 
 leaning' 
 
( 176 ) 
 
 leaning against the chapel with ^ 
 crook in his hand and two black doirs 
 by his side. The man advancing to- 
 wards him, said: ^^ Sir, I would advise 
 you to return homCy for your horse 
 will go no fartlier." Young Dennis 
 spurring his horse, said to the shep- 
 herd : *' I do not understand what you 
 say." The shepherd replied in a low 
 tone of voice: ^' then I will make 
 you." In fact tl>e young man was^ 
 obliged to alight from his horse, and 
 lead him by the bridle to his father's, 
 who lived in the same village : the 
 shepherd must have then set a spell 
 upon him which commenced on the 
 first of Mav. 
 
 During this illness several masses 
 were said in different places, more es- 
 pecially at St. Maur-des- Fosses^ St* 
 AmablC; and St. Esprit, Young Den- 
 
( 177 ) 
 
 nis was present at some of the mas^e:^ 
 >vhich were said at St Maur; but he 
 declared that he shoukl not be cured 
 until Friday 26th of June, on his re- 
 turn from St. Maur, As he was going- 
 into the room, liaving the key in his 
 pocket, lie found the shepherd seated 
 in his arm cliair, with his crook and 
 two dogs; he was the only one that 
 saw him, no other person in the house 
 perceived him; he said that the mau 
 called himself Damis. lie saw him 
 during the whole of that day, and all 
 the following night. About six in 
 the evening, being in his usual fits, 
 he fell upon the floor, screaming out 
 that the shepherd v.as upon him, and 
 crushing liim ; at tliat very moment 
 he drew out his knife and cut the face 
 of the shcpcard severely in fi\e})laces, 
 and left the marks perhaps for e\er. 
 
 The 
 
( 178 ) 
 
 The patient said to tho^e who were 
 watching him^ that he was going to have 
 five or six considerable fainting fits, 
 which would agitate him violently^ and 
 begged them to assist him. The thing 
 happened just as he had predicted. 
 
 On Friday the 26th of June^ Mr. 
 Dennis having gone to mass at St. Maur, 
 told every body that he should be cured 
 on that day. After mass the priest put 
 the stole upon his head^ and recited the 
 Evangelist according to St. John. Du^ 
 ring this prayer the young man saw St. 
 Maur standing up, and the unfortunate 
 shepherd on his left with his face stream- 
 ing with blood, which issued from the 
 five wounds that he had given him with 
 the knife. The young man instantly 
 shrieked out involuntarily, O miracu- 
 lous ! miraculous ! and exclaimed to all 
 
 around 
 
( i'9 ; 
 
 around him, he was cured; as he was 
 in reality. 
 
 On the 99th of June, the same Mr. 
 Dennis jeturned to Noisy, and amused 
 himself with the diversion of coursing: 
 the dav following as he was sporting 
 with his gun among the vines^ the shep- 
 herd presented himself before him; he 
 struck him with the butt end of his 
 fowling piece; the shepherd exclaimed 
 out, Oh ! vou have killed mc^ and (led. 
 The next dav he again presented him- 
 self to him; threw himself upon his 
 Ivuees, asked his forgiveness, and said; 
 ^' I am called Damis: it was I who set 
 the spell upon vou, which was to con- 
 tinue for a vear: through the aid of 
 the masses and pniyers that have been 
 said for vn.;^ you have been cured in 
 less than two months; but the spell is 
 
 fallen 
 
( 180 ) 
 
 fallen upon ine^ and nothing but some 
 miracle will cure me; let me beg of you 
 to pray for my disordered soul." 
 
 In consequence of a report being 
 spread abroad, the guards went in pur- 
 suit of the shepherd, but he escaped; 
 having destroyed his tw^o dogs and 
 thrown away his crook. On Sunday the 
 13th of September, he went to Mr. 
 Dennis, and related to him his adven- 
 ture; that after having been twenty 
 years without approaching the sacra- 
 ment, God had pardoned him through 
 confessing at Troyes; and that after va- 
 rious refusals, he had at last been admit- 
 ted to the holv commanion. A week 
 after this, Mr. Dennis received a letter 
 from a w^oman who called herself a re- 
 lation of the shepherd's, vWiich informed 
 him of his death, and intrcated him to 
 
 order 
 
 I 
 
( 181 ) 
 
 order a mass of reqitiem to be said for 
 his departed soul; which was executed. 
 
 This fact is related by the reverend 
 father Le Brwu 
 
 R On 
 
( 182 ) 
 
 The ghost of a rcoman appears to her hus- 
 band five years after her death to zcarii 
 him of his future conduct. 
 
 On Tuesday, the 1 1 th of December, 
 1616, in the street of St. Genevieve, in 
 the suburbs of Paris, a man named 
 Mallebranche, a marker of the game of 
 tennis, between four and five in the 
 morning hearing an uncommon noise, 
 and not knowing who could knock at 
 his door so early, asked who it was : a 
 feeble and incoherent voice replied it 
 was his w^ife, (. who had been dead five 
 years prior to that epochj who desired 
 to speak to him, and tell him some- 
 thing- that concerned him, as well for 
 the safety of his soul as his private con- 
 duct. The poor man, greatly as- 
 tonished, knew not what asnwer to- 
 make, laid silent, 
 
 The 
 
( 1S3 ) 
 
 The spectre then resumed with a 
 louder tone, '' What, do not vou know 
 that lam your wilb? I am come to 
 inform you that unless vou do peni- 
 tence, your soul will perish." 
 
 As these circumstances are extraor- 
 dinary, and can very seldom happen 
 except the mind is troubled; the hus- 
 band did not know what to do for the 
 moment; however, after some inte val 
 he heard a voice which spoke ^o him 
 after the following manner: ^' You 
 must not be astonished, it is your wife 
 that speaks to you who has be^n o-^ad 
 five years, three months, and ten dvys; 
 Avho informs you that she is ^n ]• tn'- 
 ture, from which it is In vour power to 
 extricate her, if you have e\er loved 
 j her; and if vou will ^o to St. Cloud 
 li and olRn' up j.rayers for her with fne 
 R 9 candles 
 
( 184 ) 
 
 candles, for the faftey of her soul, yau 
 will lighten yourself much.'" 
 
 Whether the astonishment was too 
 great for him, he was unable to ask a 
 question, or even to reply; however^ 
 after some contrasts that he had in his 
 soul as a man who is well born, and 
 strives zealously to procure the repose 
 of his wife's soul, he went to St. Cloudy 
 where he put up the offerings that she 
 had recommended to him. 
 
 Returning home one evening, and 
 thinking himself at rest through having 
 done what he had been commanded, ; 
 he heard a knocking at his door, and i; 
 asking at the same moment who it was, 
 Jie distinguished some voice which said, 
 ' that she actually acknowledged that 
 he loved and esteemed her since he had 
 
 been 
 
( 185 ) 
 
 been to St. Cloud, according to her 
 request; but that (his was not enough, 
 he must go there a second time, and 
 then she should find repose. 
 
 The report oi this aflair was so noi- 
 sed about the cit\ , that on the Friday 
 • following-, two ca])uchin friars were 
 ' sent for, as virtuous characters, and 
 1 ^vho think of nothinc; but the simplicity 
 of life. 
 
 They saw^, considered and viewed at- 
 tentively in their minds what this pro- 
 \ digy might be, but having no other 
 I certitude of the fact they advised the man 
 " not to go again to St. Cloud, if he had 
 no other omens of greater consequence^ 
 I as the devil might have done it in order 
 i to deceive him. 
 
 I 
 
 R 3 However 
 
( 186 ) 
 
 However the marker had his usual 
 visits paid by a knocking at his door^ till 
 the Sunday following ; wearied out;, 
 and pretending not to hear^ he dis- 
 tinguished a voice that called out and 
 enquired \vho was at home. 
 
 He would not answer^ and made as 
 though he were deaf; but the voice con- 
 tinuing at the door^ his wife (being 
 married a second time ( cried out, '" who 
 is there ?" 
 
 The voice replied as if it proceeded 
 from a profound cavern. '' It is I wha 
 wish to speak to my husband; I know 
 very well that you are his present wife, 
 but I have been so before you, and am 
 not concerned on account of his mar- 
 rying you after my decease; but as to the 
 rest that he has to chastise himself, to 
 
 acknowledge i 
 
( 187 ) 
 
 acknowledge himself^ and more es- 
 pecially to correct his bad habitudes, 
 and to prevent him swearing anv more 
 in the name of the sacred and holy God 
 as he usually did; that he may live in 
 comfort \s ith his family and all his neigh- 
 :'Ours; bat more eipeclallv that he may 
 not torment his children, or beat his 
 wife, since (jod has permitted him to 
 have another. 
 
 Besides that I have one thing to re- 
 commend him; that is before twelfth 
 dav which will come very shortly, that 
 he makes a great cake, and assembles 
 all his neighbours to come and receive 
 part of it; and that my share may be 
 left, as I promised all my friends before 
 mv death to spend twelfth night with 
 them, but now I am not able, ho^ ever 
 it is my wish it may be done, and after 
 
 that 
 
( 188 ) 
 
 that I shall be in repose. In fine, let 
 my husband pray for me, and I will 
 pray for him, as I am in great torture/' 
 
 The Sunday following, we are not 
 certain whether it was by the command 
 of the lord cardinal bishop of Paris, in 
 the evening- one of his gentlemen al- 
 moners, wished to go and sleep there 
 on purpose to view attentively the af- 
 fair, and take care there was no im- 
 posture. 
 
 But lo! as curiosity commonly 
 leads mankind, and more especially the 
 French, to wish to see every kind of 
 novelty, the house was very soon filled 
 with visitors; at the same time they 
 heard nothing, as the voice was silent 
 that very morning( whether on account 
 of the multitude or otherwise) and 
 continued so ever after. 
 
( 189 ) 
 
 J i/ouiig gcnthman icho sold himself to the 
 \hviV 
 
 A German gentleman Avhose name 
 %vas Michael Le\vis, of the family of 
 Boubenhoren^ having been sent at 
 an early age by his parents to the duke 
 of Lorraine's court, in order to learn 
 French^ lost all his fortune at the game 
 of cards. Reduced to despair^ he re- 
 solved to give himself up to the devil, 
 
 provided rhe evil spirit could or would 
 furnisli him with some 2:ood monev, 
 for he had no doubt but he ( ould fur- 
 nish him with plenty of bad. As he 
 was occupied with this thought, he saw 
 suddenly a spec tre ap])car before him 
 in the form of a \outh about his own 
 a^e, well dressed and of a noble de- 
 portment. 
 
( 150 ) 
 
 portment, who having asked him the 
 cause of his uneasiness, presented to 
 him his hand full of money, and told 
 him to see whether it was good. He 
 told him to come to him on the next 
 day. 
 
 Michael returned to his friends, w^ho 
 were still gaming; regained all the 
 money he had lost, and won all that of 
 his companions: he then returned to 
 his demon, who asked him as a recom- 
 pense three drops of his blood, which 
 he received in the shell of an acorn ; 
 then offering to Michael a pen, he told 
 him to write what he should dictate. He 
 dictated several unknown terms, which 
 he ordered to be wrote upon two dif- 
 ferent pieces of paper; the one of which 
 remained in the custody of the demon, 
 and the other was put into the arm of 
 
 Michael, 
 
 
( 191 ) 
 
 Michael, in the same place from whence 
 the demon had drawn blood, when the 
 specire said, '• I engage myself to serve 
 you for five years, after which vou shall 
 belons: to me w^ithout reserve." 
 
 o 
 
 The youth consented^ although with 
 horror, and the demon failed not in ap- 
 pearing to him day and night, under 
 different shapes, and inspiring him with 
 divers novel and entertaining amuse- 
 ments; but always tending to evil. The 
 fatal term of five years approached, 
 when the voung gentleman had attained 
 theatre of twentv. He went home a- 
 gain to his lather's. The demon to 
 whom he had sold himself, inspired him 
 to poison his parents; to set their cha- 
 teau on fire, and to destroy iiimself. He 
 endeavoured to commit the whole of 
 these crimes; God did not suffer him 
 
 to 
 
( 192 ) 
 
 to succeed; the pistol with which he 
 attempted to shoot himself having mis- 
 sed fire twice; nor did the poison ope- 
 rate upon his parents. 
 
 Every day more and more uneasy, 
 he discovered to some of his father s 
 servants the unhappy state in which he 
 existed, and begged of them to procure 
 him some assistance. Seeing him do 
 this, the demon irritated, seized him 
 by the neck and dashed him violently 
 upon the ground. His mother who was 
 of the heresy of suenfeld, and who had 
 persuaded her son to the same prin- 
 ciples, finding no assistance against the 
 demon who possest or beset him, was 
 obliged to put him into the hands of 
 some monks of her acquaintance. How- 
 ever he very soon deserted them and 
 tied to Islada, from whence he was 
 
 accompanied 
 
( 193 ) 
 
 accompanied to Molshclm by his bro- 
 ther, canon of ^^'ersbourg, wlio put 
 lum under the care of the president of 
 the society. 
 
 Tlie demon at that period redoubled 
 his revengeful efforts, appearing to 
 him under the shape of ferocious ani- 
 mals. One day amongst others, the 
 demon under the form of a ^\'ild man 
 and all shaggy, threw upon tlie ground 
 a note or argreement riifJerent from 
 tlic true one that he had extorted 
 from the youth in order to try under 
 tliis false appearance to sctlucc him 
 from the hands of those wlio kept 
 him, and prc\cnt him making his ge- 
 neral confession. In fine, tlicy liad 
 ,so ordered for him to cro on the COth 
 of Octoher ]6(y3, to the chapel of St, 
 Ignatius, and take m ith him the ori- 
 S giiial 
 
( !94 ) 
 
 giual agreement he had made with the 
 demon. The 5'oung gentleman made 
 a profession there of the cathohc and 
 orthodox faitli ; renounced the de- 
 mon and received the holy eucharist. 
 Then sending forth the most horrible 
 shrieks, he said that he saw two 
 spectres formed in the shape of goats 
 of an micommon size, who standing 
 upon their hind legs, held between 
 their claws one of those notes or com- 
 pacts. But as soon as the name of 
 St. Ignatius was invoked by com- 
 mencing the excrcism.s, the two goats 
 instantly vanished: soon after this al- 
 most without pain or leaving the 
 least wound, the agreement started out 
 of his arm and fell at the feet of the 
 exorcist. 
 
 Nothing was then wanting but the 
 
 second 
 
f;econd compact, which remained in 
 the demon's custody: the exorci>ims 
 Tvere recommenced, St. Ignatius m as 
 invoked, and mass Mas promised to 
 be said in honour of the saint. But 
 a few moments had elapsed, wlicn a 
 hideous and horrible made stork ap- 
 peared, who dropped from his beak 
 the second note upon the altan 
 
 Pope Paul y. i^avc orders for an en- 
 quiry to be made concerning these 
 tacts by the deputy commissioners, 
 viz. 2\h\ Adam, elector of Strasljourg, 
 and George, abbot of Altoft, when a 
 great number of other witnesses who 
 were interrogated judicially, and who 
 affirmed, tliat the deliverance of this 
 youth was principall\- due next to the 
 Almighty's power, to the intercession 
 of St. Ignatius. 
 
 S '^ There 
 
( 196 ) 
 
 There is now to be seen in the cha- 
 pel of St. Ignatius, in the church of 
 the Jesuits, a celebrated inscription, 
 ^vhich contains the history of this un- 
 fortunate youth. 
 
 The 
 
C '^97 y 
 
 The Nhht Mare. 
 
 ly a certain village of Moravin^ a 
 woinaii liaving but recently died,- 
 furnished with all her sacraments^ 
 Mas interred in the church-yard in the 
 in the usual manner. Four davs after 
 her decease, the inhabitants of the 
 village heard an extraordinary tumult, 
 and saw a spectre which appeared 
 sometimes under the form of a dog, 
 sometimes under that of a human beingv 
 not to one person alone but to several^ 
 and putting them in violent tortures 
 by pinching their throat and almost 
 strangling them ; it penetrated and so 
 disoidered them iin\ar(ily, that they 
 were taken with violent faintin2.\s, and 
 
 ':5"> 
 
 brought almost to the grave. 
 
 Tile 
 
( J98 ) 
 
 The spectre attacked even animals : 
 cows have been often found emaci- 
 ated and half-dead : sometimes it tied 
 them tail to tail The animals by tlieir 
 horrid belloAving, marked sufficiently 
 the pain they felt Horses were fre- 
 quently seen as if overwhelmed with 
 fatigue, dripping with sweat, chiefly 
 heated upon their backs, quite out of 
 breath, covered with foam, as if they 
 had been a long and painful journey^ 
 These calamities lasted for several 
 months^ 
 
 This fact is m8.de mention of in a 
 little work intitled, Magia Post- 
 huma^ composed by Charles Ferdi- 
 nand de Schutz, printed at Olmutz 
 in 1706, dedicated to Prince Charles 
 of Lorraine, bishop of Olmutz and 
 Osnaburg, 
 
 ThQ 
 
( m ) 
 
 The Spirit of a Young ]\[an appearing to a 
 Citrgymaii under r-irious a:cful sfiapcSy^ 
 ajid at ei'trij lisiC juakts the most horrici 
 
 Ix 17*^^0, a curate of the Jiocese of 
 Constantia, named Bayer, liaving^ 
 been elected to the curacy of 
 Rutheim, was troubled about a 
 month after by a spectre or evil 
 geni, under the form of a deformed' 
 peasant, miserably dressed, intoler- 
 ably ugly, of an insupportable odour, 
 ">vho came knocking at his d< or in au 
 insolent manner, and having taken 
 bis station by the firc-side, said, 
 that he had been sent on the part 
 of an officer of the prince of Cen- 
 stantia, his bisliop, on a certain com- 
 mission, which he found a!)S(>!utely 
 false. He tlxui asked him to eat; 
 
 meat^ 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 incat, bread, and wine was served up. 
 He took the meat up with his two^ 
 hands and devourecl it, bones and 
 allj saying; ^^ Look how I eat meat 
 and bones, let nie see you do so hke- 
 wise?" He th^n took a goblet and 
 swallowed it after his wine. After 
 that he asked for another, which he 
 served the same; and then retired 
 without biddinr>; the curate one sin- 
 gle adieu. The servant who con- 
 ducted him to. the door, having 
 asked him his name, he replied; 
 '' I was born at Ilutsinge, and my 
 name is George Raulin ;" which was 
 all a fiction. As he was going down 
 stairs, 1 c said, threatening the curate,, 
 '' I will let you see who I am."^ 
 
 He passed the remainder of the day 
 in the village, shewing himself to 
 
 every 
 
( 20] ) 
 
 cveiy body. About twelve at night 
 he went again to the cnrate's door, 
 exclaiming three times with a hor- 
 rible voice; ''Mr. Bayer;'' and ad- 
 ding, " I will teach you mIiq I am." 
 In fact, for the space of three years 
 he went every day about 4 o'clock m 
 the afternoon, and everj' night until 
 break of dav. 
 
 It appeared under various forms^ 
 sometimes under the shape of a mas- 
 tiff dog; at other's under that of a 
 lion, or other formidable animals ; 
 sometimes under the form of a man ; 
 at others under that of a beautiful 
 young lady ^vhile the curate was at 
 table or in bed, seducing him to ini- 
 pudicity; sometimes he made a noise 
 over the whole house like a cooper 
 heading of ca^ks; sometimes one 
 
 would 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 would have thoua,lit the whole fab- 
 ric was falling to the ground. In 
 order to have witnesses to all this 
 the curate sent for the churchwar- 
 dens, and others of the village, to be 
 witness of the factr The spectre dif- 
 fused throughout every place it went 
 an insupportable odour. 
 
 At length the curate had recourse 
 to exorcisms, but they were of no 
 effect; and as his being delivered 
 from these vexations was almost 
 despaired of, he was advised to- 
 wards the expiration of the third; 
 year, to furnish himself with a holy 
 branch on Palm Sunday, and with a 
 sword as holy to that effect, and to f | 
 make use of them against the spectre. 
 He did so once or twice, and since 
 that time he was never molested. 
 
 Thii^ 
 
■ 
 
 ( 203 ) 
 
 T'nio is attested by a capucliin friar, 
 who wa.s \v'itac>s to most part of the 
 above, the i^£)th of August l7-i(). 
 
 ne 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 T//d Spectre of a Young Lady who was in the 
 habit ofvisit'mg her sweetheart for the space 
 of six months after she died. 
 
 At Trallcs in Asia, one Mochates 
 an innkeeper, cohabited with a young 
 lady named Phihnnia, the daughter of 
 Demostrates and Charista. After the 
 decease of this unfortunate, she kept 
 coining every night for the space of 
 six months to see her gallant, to 
 drink, to eat, and to sleep with him. 
 One day the nurse of this young lady 
 recognized her as she was sitting by 
 Machatcs. She ran immediately to 
 inform Charista of it, who after many 
 objections went at lengtli to the inn; 
 but as it was very late, and every 
 body gone to bod, she was unable to 
 satisfy her curiosity. Slie went again 
 the next morning, when Machates 
 
 related 
 
( C05 ) 
 
 related to Iilm' every circunistance; 
 that since a certain time she had 
 visited him every night, and as a 
 proof of Avhat he said, he opened a 
 little box and shcMcd her a brilliant 
 ring, that Philinnia had given to him, 
 and the veil with which she covered 
 her bosom, that she had left the 
 night preceding. 
 
 Chari^^ta beins; no lon^fcr able to 
 doubt the veracity of the fact, gave 
 herself up to >hricks and tears; but as 
 she Mas promised to Ve informed on 
 tlie following* evcnluG: when Philinnia 
 should be there again, she returned 
 home. The daughter appeared at lier 
 usual hour, when Macliates sent im- 
 mediately to cipprize her parents; tor 
 he beu'an to fear le.^t s(nne other 
 young lady had assunjcd the dios ot 
 riiilinnia in (;rder to delude him. 
 
 T Pemo^trates 
 
( 206 ) 
 
 Demostrates and Charista having 
 arrived, recognized their daughter 
 and ran to embrace her; Avhen she 
 exclaimed ; *^ Oh, my beloved parents, 
 'why did you envy my happiness by 
 preventing me living yet three days 
 longer with my adored friend, as I 
 did no harm to any one; as it was 
 impossible for me to come here with- 
 out the permission of the gods, (that 
 is to say of the Demon, since we can* 
 not attribute a miracle like this to 
 God, nor any of his angel spirits) 
 your curiosity will cost me dear 
 enough." — So saying she fell lifeless 
 upon the bed. 
 
 Phlegon affranchised by the empe- 
 ror Adrien, who had held a consider- 
 able office in the town, silenced the 
 crowd and prevented a tumult. The 
 
 day 
 
t 
 
 ( 207 ) 
 
 day following the people being assem- 
 bled at the theatre, tliey agreed to go 
 and visit the tomb iiiM'hicli Phihnnia 
 reposed. The departed relics of her 
 family were all found arranged in their 
 proper places, but the corse of Phi- 
 linia was not there; nothing was dis- 
 covered but a diamond ring that had 
 been given to her by ]\Iachates, and a 
 golden cup that she had likewise re- 
 ceived from him. After this they re- 
 turned to the residence of ^lacliates, 
 where the young lady's corse w^as still 
 lying on the ground, 
 
 A magician was consulted, who said 
 that it v/as necessary for her to be in- 
 terred out of the limits of the city, 
 to appease the furies and terrestrial 
 merci::e, to perform funeral obsecpiies 
 to the iVianes of the gods, and satisfy 
 T 2 Jupiter 
 
( 208 ) 
 
 Jupiter the hospitaler to Mercury atid 
 Mars. — Phlegonadds, speaking to the 
 person to whom he writes, "should you 
 think proper to hiform the emperor of 
 it write to me, in order that I may 
 send you one of those who. was wit- 
 ness of the above^ 
 
 A wonder 
 
 
( 209 ) 
 
 A Konderfiil and horrid Spectre that ap^ 
 pearcd to John I h lias. Sir d\'Indigiii/s 
 servant y on the \st of January \(yl3 in 
 tht suburbs of St, Germain, The recital 
 is hif Sir d'Audi^ucr hiniself. 
 
 Last Sunday being tlic 1st of Ja- 
 nuary, tliat having gone to the tem- 
 ple of Notre Dame about four in the 
 afternoon, to speak to the chief peni- 
 tentiarist concerning; the convesion of 
 John llchas mv servant, and liaviuii' 
 seized the moment and resohition to 
 instruct liim before he al>jured liis 
 error in order that l\c might know 
 why he quitted his heresy and em- 
 braced the true rehgion ; I went to 
 pass the remainder of the day with 
 Doctor Saint Toy, who resided very 
 near me. I scut my serva^)t before 
 
 ami 
 
( 210 ) 
 
 and retired after him about six 
 o'clock. 
 
 Oil my arrival I called my servant 
 before I Avent up stairs ; he made no 
 reply : I asked if he was not in the 
 stable, no one could inform me. I 
 went up into my room lighted by a 
 femme de chambre^ and found the 
 two doors shut, the two keys were 
 notwithstanding in the locks. On en^ 
 entering the first room I called my 
 servant a second time, no one answer- 
 ed ; on turning myself round I found 
 him in a reclining posture by the fire, 
 with his head leaning agamst the 
 wall, his eyes and mouth apen in full 
 conversation with himself, but with 
 50 much loquacity that one w^ord did 
 not wait for another. '^ I will do no 
 such thing/' said he, *' it is in vain 
 
 for 
 
( 211 ) 
 
 for you to propose it, I will serve ho 
 such master as you, I will surrender, 
 I will surrcnder/^ — At first I thought 
 he was seduced and was not inclined 
 to be my servant any longer, hearing 
 him say that he did not wish for such 
 a master, but hearing him keep say- 
 ing, ^'I will do no such thing, it is in 
 vain for you to propose it, I will sur- 
 render." — I thought he was inebriated 
 and touching him with my foot, I said, 
 arise drunkard, lie only lifted up his 
 eyes dejectedly, for though they were 
 open he had them cast mournfully to- 
 ^'ards the ground, and as to his body 
 he was unaule to move it for a consi- 
 derable lime, and r^Tovering from a 
 senseless langour that had deprixed 
 him of his speech, he said : " Oh Sir, 
 I am ruined, I am dead ; the devil 
 has been ju.^t this moment wanting to 
 
 take 
 
( 212 ) 
 
 fake me with him." Still I conceived 
 he had only seen this vision in his 
 sleep; but, '' No, no," said he, ^Mie 
 has been here twice, the first time I 
 was in the ward-robe with a candle in 
 my hand, when he asked me if I 
 wished to leave him. As I was going 
 lip stairs, I called to my remembrance 
 the late Sir Charles, (he went often 
 to the house a few days before his 
 death) ; and just as I passed th? se* 
 eond chamber I recollected the painter^ 
 (that was the late Porbus, who died 
 in the house the preceding year), and 
 after that it occurred suddenly to my 
 ideas, what should I do if the devil 
 was to come in order to prevent my 
 being a catholic; no sooner had I 
 said this, but he appeared before me, 
 and so close tliat theie was no room 
 between us for a third." He adds, 
 
 that 
 
( 213 ) 
 
 that he cast his eyes upon him and 
 seeing him as black as he really is, l>c 
 asked him, *^ who arc you?'' When 
 the devil replied, '" I am your mas- 
 ter.'' — '' My master/' said he, " does 
 not look like you — he wears a 
 "white frill and gold lace upon his 
 cloaths ;" a pretty servant not to 
 know his master from the devil, but 
 through his frill and tinsel on his 
 cloaths, wliich could be but a small 
 clistioction in rcijard to his features ! 
 but tlmt was liis mode of judgment. — 
 ^* I am not the master whom you 
 serve at present," said the devil, 
 '^ but I am he whom you have served 
 shice you came into the world/' — l\Iy 
 servant then made the sign of the 
 cross, saying, '^ In the name o-f the 
 Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost^ 
 good Virgin Mary be my aid '/' — the 
 
 spectre 
 
( 214 ) 
 
 spectre disappeared. Jle said that, 
 seeing him thus black all over, with- 
 out a frill or collar to his coat, accord- 
 ing to his ideas he conceived it an 
 evil spirit. And observe, that being 
 alone and night, in a spacious house 
 and no other person in it but myself 
 who was in another room, he was not 
 frightened without a cause, to see 
 himself in a third room in company 
 with the devil* 
 
 The beginning of this discourse 
 made me more attentive to hear the 
 end. In consequence of Avhich, I 
 commanded him to proceed, when he 
 resumed, that havingentered theroom> 
 shut the doors after him and lighted 
 a fire; he seated himself beside it 
 and took his rosary from his pocket 
 in order to count his beads ; but wish- 
 ing 
 
( 21.5 > 
 
 ing to be less ciKiiinhered, he put it 
 
 in ao-aiii and reclined liis head au:aiust 
 
 the cluninev, tliroun'li whicli means 
 
 he saw a burnino; coal under the ^Tatc 
 
 when tliat instant a \ oiee exclahiied, 
 
 '' Well ! you mean to leave me then r" 
 
 He said* that at first he thou ;'ht it 
 
 was me who spoke to him, and that 
 
 some one had told me that lie did 
 
 not wish to l:e any longer in my ser- 
 
 vice; ''Pardon me Sir/' replied lie, 
 
 ^' \vho has toid vou that?" — " I have 
 
 obocrved it/' s^id the devil, '^ as you 
 
 somcti'nv's go t<; cliurch/' — '' Mliy 
 
 so/' replied my ser^'ant ; seeing him 
 
 right bcibrehitii s^v^i] recognizing him, 
 
 ^^ are vou still thcT? I tliought you 
 
 were gone/ — -''] hit wljy?" said the 
 
 devil, ^' do ^•()u wi-li to leave me? 
 
 I am so ,L>ood a master, you have 
 
 served me so long, I have a great 
 
 many 
 
( 216) 
 
 many others in my service, I can do 
 as much for you ; tell me what pro- 
 fession you will be, you shall learn it ; 
 if you have no desire to know any 
 you shall go as fine as any lord in 
 Paris ; you shall live in any style you 
 wish ; stop, there is some money, take 
 as much as you please;" he then 
 stooped down and counted out more 
 money than a hat would hold, ear- 
 nestly pressing him to take some in 
 the most fascinating and seductive 
 language. *^ But this is no command 
 of God's," said my servant, ^' I have 
 nothing to do with you nor youT mo- 
 ney neither, (lie said that he saw no 
 cross,) alihougli I have served you so 
 long, you have badly recompensed 
 me for it; I now shall take my leave 
 of you and enter the service of my 
 God." So saying, it is very remark- 
 able 
 
(217) 
 
 5ible that he liastcned to say as nnicli 
 as possible fearing the (le\'il slionld 
 overpower him in Mords, and gain 
 the vietory ; but what is more, that 
 ^vhei^ tlie devil saw that he could 
 not tempt him by tlie alnmdanee of 
 his money, lie wanted to seduce him 
 ^v'ith a part, begging him to take a 
 crown or any thing, representing to 
 Lim his poverty. '' But I Avill not 
 have any, I m ill not have any," said 
 lie, ^' God Vvill give me some,'' with 
 a constancy that marked a great pmuf 
 of his vocation. '' Do vou i)Ui vour 
 trust in God?'' said the devil: ''all 
 tliose M'ho serve him are very poor, 
 you \\ill live and die miscrribk.*.'' 
 Thus seeing that nothing could move 
 him, lie added twice, " }'ou >h'A[ vr- 
 pent for it.*' The servrait said tliat 
 at first he was terrified at the tlircat, 
 U l)ut 
 
(218 ) 
 
 but comforted by a marvellous assist- ^ 
 ance from Gocl, he said, '' I have 
 done notliing to you, it is impossible 
 for you to hurt me." I have here 
 copied the precise w^ords of their con- 
 versation, except anotlier m.alice which 
 the demon had, seeing that the other 
 would have none of his money, he 
 wanted to get possession of his ro- 
 sary; he did not call it a rosary, but, 
 '' those beads,'' said he, ^^ that you 
 have in your pocket, let me beg of 
 you to give them to miC." Observe 
 his artfulness, he wished him either 
 to receive or give, in order to seduce 
 him by some means or other, and to 
 contract a second time anew alliance. 
 However being still refused that, he 
 beo'ijcd at least to throw them in the 
 fne before him, representing to him 
 that thev were useless bracelets that 
 
 ladies 
 
 I 
 
( 119 ) 
 
 ladies commonly wore around tlieir 
 arms and necks. Observe in liow many 
 forms this Prothcus transformed him- 
 self to deceive the unfortunate youth, 
 by how many different methods he 
 attacked him. As to n)yself, I must 
 confess this confirms me greatly in all 
 the points of the catholic religion; 
 still God be thanked, I do not doubt 
 of any ; but more particularly as to 
 the virtue of the rosary, or I should 
 not have much devotion now. But 
 mind the frequent repetition of my 
 servant, '' it is no command of the 
 Almio;htv's — I will do no such thins:, 
 it is all in vain, I will not have such 
 a master as you, I will surrender, I 
 will suiJendcr, you shall not prevent 
 nie; upon this I entered the room 
 v/ithout his knowledge, and wlicn he 
 perceived mc first, he thought I had 
 U 2 been 
 
( 220 ) 
 
 been the devil going to strangle him, 
 or carry him away; for I have still 
 omitted that he persuaded him a long 
 time to go with him, so that at the 
 commencement he took the devil for 
 me, and in the end he took me for the 
 devil. 
 
 After he had related to me all thi5. 
 I asked him Avhether he could not re- 
 present to me the form that the devil 
 had assumed, and if he had not seen 
 any one whom it resembled. He said 
 that he had never seen any thing of 
 the like, and that he had beheld him 
 twice under different forms ; the first 
 at tlie wardrobe, when it seemed as if 
 his shape was smaller, and his features 
 more human, and less deformed than 
 the second, which was in the ^'oom, 
 where he appeared to him much more 
 
 kideous, 
 
 ^ 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 hideous, having tlic countenance and 
 shape of a great black man Avithout a 
 beard, liis teeth similar to tlic tusks of 
 a wild boar, bis nose very hirge and 
 picked, bent, and turned up again, 
 liis nails exceedingly sharp and long, 
 Avhich he liad observed whilst he was 
 counting his money. He often said 
 that he wanted to make the sign of 
 the cross, but tbat he could not lift 
 lip his hand. 
 
 Since that time having asked liim 
 if he bad never seen any visions, he 
 told me that when he was in tbe ser- 
 vice of a knigbt of Malta, whose 
 name Avas Tallonniere, and returning 
 one evening from Angouleme to Cog- 
 nac, he saw sometbing black, that pre- 
 sented itself in tbe road, but was un- 
 able to discern it distinctly; and that 
 
 last 
 
( 222 ) 
 
 last summer being one evening at the 
 same house very late, and lyhig upon 
 his bed, I being m town, something 
 came up to him that he did not see; 
 it told him to get up and follow him 
 down stairs, which he did into the 
 garden; it made him extend himself 
 upon the ground, when he raised up 
 several devils of the most monstrous 
 shapes around him; he said that he 
 was so terrified, and fetched such a 
 dreadful shriek, that another servant 
 that I had ran to his assistance, with: 
 the others that were in the house who 
 wanted him to say the Jesus Mariay 
 "but that he found impossible. 
 
 Suffice rt now to say what happened 
 to me ; for it is still a mark of his pre- 
 destination. At the end of the siege 
 of MontaubaU; a great number of va- 
 
 let* 
 
( 2C3 ) 
 
 lets "W^re dead and several good mas- 
 ters, as well by di.sease as wan 
 Amongst others I had lost seven, and 
 was left alone with a conrrade who 
 had been very ill, and who had only 
 one vaiet to serve ns both. And as I 
 had lost a servant the latter Ind lost 
 his master. We met each athrr at a 
 cross way, he coming from Aiontau- 
 han, and I retiring from Picocc^s to 
 my quarters; and as tiie one Avas look- 
 hig for a master the other for a vaict, 
 we Vrcre both of us very happy ta 
 meet vith each other. A fe^v days^ 
 after, the siege having been raised, I 
 retired to my father's, where I nic-de a 
 sojouj'n of three months, after an a!- 
 sence of eighteen years. And con"»,e 
 next Christmas it is a tuxlvLmonih. 
 since I enquired inio hi^ religion* ^ 
 confessed he Mas a Kci'ormist, a: 
 
 thou^ij. 
 
( 224 ) 
 
 though I did not lose the hope of see- 
 ing him abjure it, I could notwith- 
 standing get nothing out of him. 
 I did not wish to seem to press him, 
 but waited till God, by his divine 
 providence, should turn his heart 
 
 Since being in this city, I made 
 him speak to the Jesuits, and to the 
 chief penitentiarist; but in despight 
 of my endeavours, he never could 
 take the resolution till this moment. 
 Thus the devil never attempted to 
 dissuade him from it until he saw he I 
 Avas resolved ; and what prevented m 
 him forming. an earlier resolution, was 
 on account of the minister of ]\farton, 
 Avho had instructed him in his heresy: 
 teaching in this city last year, lie saw 
 him son»etimes unknown to me, and 
 entertained him ia the same error in 
 
 Avhich 
 
( 225 ) 
 
 which he had brought him up, telling 
 him always that he should take care 
 not to become a Catholic, although 
 he afterwards became one himself; 
 but that Avas in order to 2:aiu a law- 
 suit that he had in this country 
 against a priest of St. Savior, after 
 which he made it his business ta 
 change his cassocks 
 
 But returning to ray valet, I will yet 
 say a few words which will mark a 
 very peculiar instance of the provi- 
 dence of God. Being quite young, 
 his father, who is a Surgeon of Mar- 
 ton, frequently chastised him, in or- 
 der to force him to go to the minister 
 
 of whom we have just been speaking; 
 however he stole away the more often 
 to go to hear the priests. Some one 
 bavins: c^ivcn him an jJ'vihs Dei. he 
 
 was 
 
i 226 ) 
 
 was found one day by his father, who 
 having corrected him as visual, threw 
 the Agnus m the fire. He said that it 
 was about four hours before it was 
 consumed, although his father threw 
 upon it above a dozen little faggots, 
 and that he said to him, *' Father, you 
 will make us both be boiled in the 
 same cauldron ; chastise me as often as 
 you please, and return me the Agnus 
 Deiy or throw me into the fire after it. 
 
 Being at Rochelle, they made him 
 eat fish all the week excepting Friday, 
 when they wanted to oblige him to 
 eat meat; and though he was at that 
 time a Hugunot, he would not do it, 
 choosing rather to have nothing but 
 bread, and suffer the rest to deride 
 him, saying, that " he ought to have 
 a pike or a sole bought for him/' 
 
 I have 
 
( 227 ) 
 
 I have mentioned this, as it seems 
 to me that the ahovc are as so many 
 marks of an extraordinary vocation, 
 and by so iniicli the more great, as the 
 person Avas ycvy young; thinking hke- 
 ^vise that the Ahnig'hty suliercd him 
 to sec this last vi>»ion to confirm him 
 in the desire that he had ingenuously 
 conceived to be converted, as he has 
 been incessantly since that period pres- 
 sing me for it, instead of whicli I for- 
 merly used to be pressing him ; at the 
 time wishing me to strike two blows 
 with one stone, affecting me in my 
 morals as it did him in his religion, or 
 to say rather, in his heresy, and to 
 oblige me to render this true testimo- 
 ny tliat I owe to the glory of his name, 
 and to the edification of my neigli- 
 hour. 
 
 The 
 
< 228 ) 
 
 The spectre of a shepherd that appeared to 
 several persons^ when after having called 
 thtm hxj their nameSy they died on that day 
 week ensui7ior. 
 
 9 
 
 A PASTOR of the village of Blo\v, 
 near the city of Kadam, in Bohemia, 
 appeared some time, and called certain 
 persons, Avho all died about a ^yeek af- 
 terwards. The peasants of Blow inter- 
 red the corse of this pastor and fixed 
 him in tlie earth with a hedge stake, 
 which they drove through his body. 
 
 Finding himself in this situation, he 
 used to lau^li at those who had thus 
 treated him, and told them they were 
 \xry kind to give him a stick in that 
 manner to defend himself against the 
 dogs. That very night he arose and 
 frightened several people, and stran- 
 gled 
 
 fim^i 
 
( 229 ) 
 
 g-led Pi, great many more, wlilch lie 
 liad never done till then. They tlieu 
 -delivered him to the executioner, who 
 put him into a cart, in order to carry 
 him out of the city and burn him. 
 
 The body, although sometime dead, 
 howled like a monster, and moved its 
 feet and hands like unto one li\liig; 
 and when they began to dissect it 
 with a knife a great quantity of blood 
 gushed out. In fine they burnt it, and 
 this execution put an end to the 
 apparitions and infestations of tlic 
 spectre. 
 
 rixis. 
 
H 151 82 1 
 
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